FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): It’s a very proud moment for the athletes of northeast Indiana.
On Friday, the Men’s USA Goalball Team won a Silver Medal at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This was their first a appearance since the 2008 games in Beijing.
Goalball is a game played by visually-impaired athletes who throw or roll a ball with bells inside towards their opponent’s goal net.
The USA Men’s team has been training full time at Turnstone since October of 2015. Turnstone, the Fort Wayne charity founded in 1943, is one of ten gold level participants in the Paralympic Sport Club Excellence Programs in the United States.
The final score was USA 8 Lithuania 14. Five of the six players had goals in this game, Matt Simpson led with four goals, one goal each for Daryl Walker, Joe Hamilton, Tyler Merren and Andy Jenks.
“Turnstone and Fort Wayne couldn’t be more proud of the team for their accomplishments.” stated Mike Mushett, CEO. “Watching them compete on the world’s stage after having them train daily at Turnstone has been amazing. The community has rallied around the team and been following their progress through the games. We are looking forward to celebrating with them when they return to Fort Wayne!”
