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The Kosovo delegation is all smiles at Morton stadium, site of the athletics competition for the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games. Left to right are athlete Nurije Shabani, coach Eli Elfete Gashi, athlete Naser Klinaku, coach Maki Myvedte and athlete Aferdita Hasani. Below at right, athlete Adnan Ibrahimi poses with a new friend, Victor Diaz of Venezuela (blue uniform).
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For the first time ever in any international sporting event, a delegation from Kosovo will make its debut at the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games. Special Olympics Kosovo was established earlier this year, and its World Games delegation consists of four athletes, two coaches (Eli Elfete Gashi and Maki Myvedte Imam) and one head of delegation.
The significance of this group was highlighted when the president of Kosovo, Ibrahim Rugova, met team members and wished them well prior to their departure to Dublin.
The delegation received support from the Kosovo National Olympic Committee, the peacekeeping Irish Battalion, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Vietnam Veterans Sports for Life project.
The athletes competing at the World Summer Games are:
- Aferdita Hasani, age 14 (athletics)
- Adnan Ibrahimi, age 15 (athletics)
- Nurije Shabani, age14 (athletics)
- Naser Klinaku, age 17 (athletics)
Coach Gashi, from Pristina, said, “The athletes and I are very happy to be part of this new team. Special Olympics is bringing new opportunities to our athletes and their families in Kosovo.”
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