Special Olympics: Athletics Sport Center

Athletics Sport Center

This page draws together athletics-related information for all of Special Olympics. The coaching materials and other links will help you get a good sense of how this sport contributes to Special Olympics.

Stories Events Games

The sport of athletics encourages athletes of all abilities and ages to compete at their optimum level. Through the track-and-field-based athletics training program, participants can develop total fitness to compete in any sport. As with all Special Olympics sports, athletics offers athletes the opportunity to learn through skill development and competitive settings and to be involved in large social settings.

Athletics Coaching Guide

Downloads and Links

News and Stories

June 19, 2013 | Latin America: Mexico

Evento de Integración ESEF y Olimpiadas Especiales

By Annie Barreiro

Con motivo al 70 aniversario de la Escuela Normal Especializada (ENE) se hizo un evento de inclusión con su personal, alumnado y nuestros atletas.View Story ▼El Evento que se llevó a cabo en las instalaciones de la Escuela Superior de Educación Física ESEF: Con motivo al 70 aniversario de la Escuela Normal Especializada (ENE) se hizo un evento de inclusión con su personal, alumnado y nuestros atletas. Fueron mas de 80 atletas (ya firmaron todos el aviso de privacidad). Los deportes en los que participaron fueron: • Atletismo 25 mts. Asistido • Atletismo 25 plano • Atletismo 50 plano • Atletismo 100 plano • 4 x 100 relevos unificado • Basquetbol unificado • Voleibol unificado Hubo una exhibición de SD Danza hermosísima donde aparte de bailar personas con discapacidad intelectual, hubo un baile donde bailaron con sus mamás. Hubo lunch, hidratación y medallas para todos los atletas. La premiación y clausura la dio la directora de la ENE la Lic. Leonora Patricia Arias Lozano El evento se organizó con la Lic. Aydee Rodriguez y con la Lic. Gabriela Cabrera

May 30, 2013 | North America: New Mexico

Special OlympicS Excitment

By Ernest Alonzo, CCRC Brimhall, New Mexico

I run fast and so that I can win this game in Albuquerque Special Olympics competitions this weekend. Our coach is very supportive and also our staff says we can do a good job in Special Olympics games.View Story ▼I run fast and so that I can win this game in Albuquerque Special Olympics competitions this weekend. Our coach is very supportive and also our staff says we can do a good job in Special Olympics games. We will be running in the track and field competitions and shot put. Big championship, that is why we are so happy to go there and be part of this in Albueqerque this weekend. We will not be around doing any regular task this weekend. Here at the center good bye for now and good luck to all the players and sportmans. Thank you .

May 07, 2013 | North America: Ohio

New to Special Olympics

By Amy Williams

I been doing Special Olympics for an little over a year and a half now and I love doing it but I never thought I would have found the goodwill gladiator without my sister Sally Williams.View Story ▼I been doing Special Olympics for an little over a year and a half now and I love doing it but I never thought I would have found the goodwill gladiator without my sister Sally Williams being one of the coaches for everything I am doing like basketball, softball, track and tennis and she coaches everything I do and I know she likes being a coach. But I never thought I would ever get qualified for the national games and go to the summer games in Ohio after my first year of doing it but I am so happy my sister is my coach and she is good at it and I am happy I found the team I am on.

Athletics Stories and News »

Share Your Story

Do you have a story or news to share? Use the easy online form to write it up and send it to us.

Upcoming Athletics Events

Date	Event	Location
Jun 20 - 22 2013	Minnesota Summer Games Join us June 20-22 during our Summer Games event. Approximately 1300 athletes will compete in athletics, gymnastics, tennis and volleyball. For more information More DetailsView More	Stillwater Stillwater, Minnesota UNITED STATES
June 21, 2013	Track and Field Competition Join us at the Estadio Magico in an Salvador, El Salvador on 21 June from 8am-1pm for an exciting day of track & field competition. Special Olympics athletes will show their skill while competing in various track events. For more informationView More	Estadio MagicoSan Salvador EL SALVADOR
Jun 28 - Jan 30 2013	Ohio Summer Games Join us June June 28 - 30 during our Summer Games event. Approximately 2600 athletes will compete in aquatics, athletics (track and field), bocce, bowling, cycling, gymnastics, power lifting, roller skating, soccer, tennis, and volleyball. For more information More DetailsView More	The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio UNITED STATES
Jun 28 - 30 2013	Northern California Summer Games Join us June 28-30 during our Summer Games event. Approximately 900 athletes will compete in aquatics, bocce, tennis and track & field. For more information More DetailsView More	Davis, California UNITED STATES
Jun 28 - 29 2013	Idaho Summer Games Join us June 28-29 during our Summer Games event. Approximately 900 athletes will compete in aquatics, basketball, cycling, powerlifting and track & field. For more information More DetailsView More	Boise Boise, Idaho UNITED STATES
Jul 13 - 14 2013	Oregon Summer Games Join us July 13-14 during our Summer Games event. Approximately 1800 athletes will compete in athletics (track & field), bocce, golf, and softball. For more information More DetailsView More	Newberg Newberg, Oregon UNITED STATES
Aug 28 - Sep 1 2013	Great Britain Summer Games The 9th National Summer Games will be held in the city of Bath from 28 August to 01 September. Over 1,700 athletes will be competing in athletics, badminton, bocce, bowls (short mat carpet bowls), football, golf, artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, table tennis, ten pin bowling, tennis and swimming. For more information More DetailsView More	University of Bath Bath, Claverton Down UNITED KINGDOM
October 04, 2013	Track and Field Competition Join us at the Federacion Indes in an Santa Ana, El Salvador on 4 October from 8am-1pm for an exciting day of track & field competition. Special Olympics athletes will show their skill while competing in various track events. For more information More Details Olimpiadas Especiales El Salvador Email:info@olimpiadasespecialeselsalvador.com Phone: 503-2271-1208View More	Federacion Indes Santa Ana, Santa Ana EL SALVADOR
Nov 16 - 18 2013	Torneo Nacional de Atletismo - Mendoza 2013 This will be the Special Olympics Argentina Athletics National Games where 120 athletes from all over the country will take part. All of the events will take place at the Malvinas Argentinas Stadium which located at the newly inaugurated provincial track. This stadium and it's surrounding complexes hosted the South American Games in 2012. For more information More Details Claudio Jerez Email:eventos@olimpiadaespecial.org.ar Phone:(+54-11) 4703-2998View More	Mendoza Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Parque General San Martín Mendoza, Mendoza ARGENTINA
Nov 30 - Dec 7 2013	Special Olympics Asia Pacific Regional Games The inaugural Special Olympics Asia Pacific Games will take place in Newcastle, New South Wales in 2013. The event will see Australia welcome more than 1,700 Special Olympics athletes, 600 coaches, 4,000 volunteers, and approximately 200,000 spectators from 25 nations across the Asia Pacific region. Newcastle will offer world class facilities and venues across the range of nine sports to be conducted during the Games – Athletics, Bocce, Bowling, Basketball, Football, Badminton, Table Tennis, Cricket and Aquatics as well as venues for the Opening Ceremony and Games social hub. For more information More Details Alex McNeilly Email:alexm@specialolympics.com.auView More	Hunter Stadium 294 Turton Rd, New Lambton NSW 2305 Newcastle, New South Wales AUSTRALIA
Jun 13 - 21 2014	2014 USA National Games The USA National Games be centered in and around Princeton and the Greater Mercer County area. Venues will include Princeton University, Rider University, The College of New Jersey, and Mercer County Park. The New Jersey Devils have offered The Prudential Center as the venue for the Opening Ceremonies. The National Games will feature nearly 3,500 athletes competing in 14 Olympic-style sports, with the support of 1,000 coaches, 8,000 volunteers and an estimated 50,000 family, friends and spectators. Non-competitive special events will include the Final Leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run™ that will symbolize the start of the competition and Healthy Athletes, a place where the athletes can get vital health screenings. Youth and education events will also be held in conjunction with the Games as young leaders rally around making change for the better of the Special Olympics movement and promoting acceptance of those with intellectual disabilities. For more information More Details Greg Epperson Email:gepperson@specialolympics.org Phone:919-785-0700View More	Several Locations - New Jersey Princeton, New Jersey UNITED STATES
Sep 9 - 21 2014	2014 Special Olympics European/Eurasian Summer Games In September 2014 more than 2,000 athletes from 58 countries will come to Antwerp, Belgium for the 2014 Special Olympics European/Eurasian Summer Games and enjoy 13 days full of joy and friendship. The athletes will compete in 11 sports and be invited to join 5 supporting programs. For more information More Details Special Olympics European Games 2014 Email:info@so2014.com Phone:+32 3 220 25 00View More	Various locations, AntwerpAntwerp BELGIUM
Jul 24 - Aug 2 2015	World Summer Games Los Angeles 2015 In July of 2014 more than 7,000 athletes from 170 countries will come to Los Angeles, California for the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games and enjoy 10 days full of joy, friendship and competition. Athletes will compete in 22 sports. The event expects to attract 500,000 spectators and 30,000 volunteers and 3,000 coaches. For more information More Details World Summer Games Los Angeles 2015 Email:info@la2015.org Phone:213-892-6018View More	Various Locations, Los Angeles Los Angeles , California UNITED STATES

Do you have an event to add?

Tell us about it so we can publish the details to our sport calendar.

Athletics/Track and Field Competitions

2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games

Athens, Greece, was the home of the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games. That year, it was the world’s largest sporting event for athletes with intellectual disabilities. See results by athlete, delegation and bib number.

See the Results

Related Coaching Resources

How to Get Involved in Special Olympics

Special Olympics sports training, coaching and competitions go on in more than 170 countries around the world. You can get involved by getting in touch with the closest Special Olympics office.

Special Olympics near you»

Made Possible by The Annenberg Foundation

The Special Olympics movement is profoundly grateful for the support of the Annenberg Foundation which has underwritten the production of the coaches’ guides and resources, supporting our global goals for coaches’ excellence.

LEARN MORE»