Fermanagh's special Olympic athlete, Emma Jamison was a VIP at a chairman's reception in the Townhall last week where she was described by the chairman of Fermanagh District Council, Alex Baird as, 'an outstanding ambassador for Fermanagh'.

He told the gathering how, despite serious and complex health problems, Emma trained hard and went on to represent Ireland against the rest of the world, and win! He recalled how life's challenges began for her the day she as born and how a brain condition known as hydrocephalus required the first of several major brain operations.

He went on: "She has learned to fight for survival from day one. She continues to live with epilepsy, weakness on her left side and defects in her visual fields. Yet, despite this, Emma has embraced life and sporting competition".

The audience was told that it was Harry McConkey, a member of the teaching staff of the Erne School who introduced Emma to the special Olympics programme, and how she eventually chose athletics.

From there, the world was her oyster, thanks to the input from Roisin Henry, regional and national Olympic trainers, from Emma herself and, not least, her mother whose motto was, 'we're going for gold'.

There was also, Mr Baird noted, the inspiration from Emma's grandfather who lived long enough to welcome Emma home with her Olympic medals.

In a remarkably detailed testimony, Councillor Baird plotted Emma's path to Shanghai 2007 where the Olympic World Games were held and where, last October, she achieved personal bests in the 100 metres walk and in the standing long jump.

Concluding, Councillor Baird suggested that the fact that the opening of the 2003 Special World Games in Dublin were voted the third most significant sporting event of 60 years reflected the recognition that people today accord to the special group of people to whom Emma belonged.

He said he was proud to host a reception in her honour and he wished her well in her bid to represent Ireland in the next Special Olympics World Games in Athens in 2011.