ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Special Olympics Jamaica laid hands on eight medals on yesterday’s final day of competition to reach 33 at the 2019 World Summer Games, surpassing the 29 they tallied four years ago in the United States.

The Jamaicans’ overall haul in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) comprises 15 gold, 10 silver and eight bronze medals.

At Dubai Police Officers Stadium yesterday, athletics accounted for three additional medals, taking their number for the Games to 15.

Rajae Patterson notched gold in the male 800-metre race in 2:12.78 minutes to add to his 400m win days ago, while the female quartet of Yeshima Stuart, Paula-Aye Whylie, Brandy Clemetson and Monique Johnson clocked 1:04.98 minutes to top their 4x100m relay race.

Stuart returned to hold onto silver in female 800m (3:04.57).

The Jamaicans had thought they had another gold after the male 4x100m team, comprising O’Brian McFarlane, Rajae Patterson, Daeshawn Green and Delmar Campbell, crossed the line first in 45.25 seconds. But they were later disqualified due to a lane violation.

Head coach Andre Johnstone was particularly pleased with the female relay team.

“What was impressive about the female 4×100 is that the third-leg athlete Brandy Clemetson fell flat after colliding with the second-leg athlete during the exchange, but she got up and kept first place,” he told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

In badminton at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Janoy Daley won silver after his 19-21, 8-21 loss to Bahrain’s Husain Mahmood.

Daley, who also won individual silver in 2015, had won gold in doubles action two days ago playing alongside unified partner Travis Ebanks.

The 2019 Special Olympics Games, which officially started March 14, ends this evening with the closing ceremony set for Zayed Sports City Stadium.

Through sport activities and competition, the Special Olympics movement focuses on breaking down barriers that exclude people with intellectual disabilities from mainstream society.

Unified competition provides athletes with intellectual disabilities the chance to compete alongside and against those without disabilities.