by Rod Hughes

No matter what you have heard, it isn’t ALL about soccer in this country.

With a sterling performance on the waves yesterday, Costa Rica’s Federico Pilurzu made his way into the finals of the O’Neill Cold Water Classic and a shot at qualifying for the World Surfing Championship in Santa Cruz, California.

In the third heat yesterday afternoon, his radical style set him over 64 other surfers, gaining 13.43 points. Pilurzu, the current Central American surfing champ, shone over the likes of Charlie Carroll of Hawaii (12.87 points) and Sean Taylor of the U.S. (7.83) and Beau Mitchell of Austrailia.

by Rod Hughes

Shanghai, China–Costa Rican kids are bringing home a load of medals from the Special Olympics for physically and mentally challenged children–67 of them. This is twice as many as they won four years ago in Ireland. They are due to arrive home Sunday.

The haul was immense–23 gold medals, 21 silver, 23 bronze. All 23 golds were in swimming but the Costa Ricans also brought home nine silvers and five bronzes in those events. The did well in track and field as well, with eight gold, five silver and nine bronze. Other medals were in cycling, three gold, six silver and nine bronze and in soccer with five gold and one silver.

“This is an example for the whole country, for youth and all humanity,” said Carlos Valverde, head of the organizing body in Costa Rica, “that persons with certain intellectual limitations set their goals and accomplished them.” He noted that the sacrifice meant “nine months of training, perserverance and discipline.”