Gymnast medals in 6 events at Special Olympic World games in China
Marc Janovics, 28, of Mount Prospect, returned last week from world competition in China to the comfortable surroundings of the Elk Grove Gymnastics School where he has trained for the last 20 years.
But he returned with some serious hardware. Would you believe three silver and three bronze medals, all earned in world class competition.
Janovics was among a delegation of seven athletes from Illinois, and one of only three male gymnasts from the entire country selected to compete at the Special Olympics World Games in Shanghai, China.
His fairy tale adventure started with the opening ceremonies, when he marched into the new Shanghai Stadium, alongside figure skater Michelle Kwan and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
He even was interviewed during a segment from the spectacular ceremony, which aired on ABC's Good Morning America, and led to numerous other interviews, including an appearance on ABC's World News Tonight.
"I like being treated like a celebrity," Janovics said. "It's fun, they worship me here."
Even Janovics' longtime coach, Glen Marks, conceded the media attention was fun and empowering for the athletes.
"Everywhere we went there were people from the media, interviewing us and taking pictures," said Marks, owner of the Elk Grove Gymnastics School. "We were treated like stars. It was awesome."
The games drew 7,500 athletes from 165 countries around the world, making it the largest ever, and the first time they were held outside of the United States. The 10-day competition drew so much media attention, analysts said, since it served as a dry run of sorts for next summer's Olympic Games in Bejing.
Along the way, media officials learned about the athletes' abilities and inspiring stories.
Athletes competed at different levels, depending on their abilities, but all of the events stressed "achievement, joy and friendship," Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng said. Its theme, illuminated on posters throughout the city, was, "I Know I Can."
For Janovics, it was a chance to display his remarkable talent that already inspires everyone who enters his home gym, back in Elk Grove. As it is, they refer to him there, as the "lord of the rings."
While he competed in all of the events at regular Illinois High School Association events while attending Rolling Meadows High School, his longtime specialty has been the rings.
Going into the games, Marks and his team coach Patty Hermann, insisted he was a lock to win the gold medal.
However, during the rings event, Janovics added in a harder element into his routine, with the hopes of raising his score, that actually ended up deducting points.
"He was leading after preliminaries," Marks said, "but he made a mistake and he ended up winning the bronze."
Janovics wound up winning silver medals in the all-around event, pommel horse and floor exercise, while winning the bronze in the rings, high bar and parallel bars, and taking fifth in the vault.
"He was disappointed not to win the gold," his mother, Marge said, "but after the competition, he was selected to do his rings routine as part of the gymnastics show, and that pleased him more than anything."
His mother added that the experience was "spectacular" and they're still trying to come back down to earth.