NEVER give up is a common theme running throughout the Lake Macquarie International Children’s Games.
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One athlete living by this motto is Joseph Powell, 12, of Marion, Indiana.
‘‘I am excited to be the only US sailor to compete,’’ he said.
On the competition, he said Lake Macquarie was ‘‘big’’, he hoped to finish all of his races.
Dad Tade is his coach and Joseph has been sailing for five years.
It is the last day of the three-day, nine-race sailing competition of 10 teams with two classes. Joseph is in the Optimum class with four other competitors.
After six races he has one third and five fifths.
However, tired from racing Joseph, has forgotten to say that the Games is his first sailing competition.
At home, he drives one-and-half hours to the lake only two kilometres long to sail; no wonder Joseph is in awe of Lake Macquarie and the competition.
His boat is a Sunfish, which is not much bigger than a windsurfer.
Joseph has only sailed an Optimum for four hours in the US before the competition.
It is Games volunteer James McNevin, of Merewether Heights, who tells the underdog’s story, which has united all at the Belmont 16 Footers site.
‘‘He doesn’t give up and finishes every race,’’ Mr McNevin said.
He said Joseph would stay out after the other kids have finished or retired.
Mr McNevin said the New Zealand coach had been helping him with his technical skills and the other sailors and coaches had given him support.
‘‘He has stolen the heart of the volunteers,’’ Mr McNevin said.
