Europe Eurasia Stories
Day 2 of the Unified Volleyball World Cup in the Books – Up Next
Day 2 of competition at the Special Olympics Unified Volleyball World Cup in Katowice, Poland from 5-8 October brought a mix of emotions for all 16 competing teams as some rose to the top of their groups and others fell.
2 Min Read
Hope in Every Serve: How Volleyball Inspires Nataliia Vyhivska’s Dreams
DayNataliia Vyhivska and her team played to win in Katowice, beating Team Mongolia 2-0 (25-11, 25-20). “When I’m on the court, everything else disappears."
4 Min Read
Euronews Highlights Inaugural Special Olympics European Union Day
The following is an excerpt from a Euronews article highlighting the participation of Special Olympics athletes, staff and leadership at the inaugural Special Olympics European Union Day on 24 and 25 September 2025.
1 Min Read
Competition in Full Swing for the Unified Volleyball World Cup Poland 2025
The tournament’s first 6 games set the tone for can be expected over the rest of the competition.
3 Min Read
Chasing World Cup Gold with Finland's Mika Ahonen
For nearly three decades, volleyball has been more than just a sport for Special Olympics Finland athlete Mika Ahonen—it has been a source of challenge and connection.
4 Min Read
A Historic First: Meet Eight Top Athletes Taking to the Volleyball Court in Katowice
The inaugural Special Olympics Unified Volleyball World Cup will see 8 women’s and 8 men’s/mixed teams competing for the title.
3 Min Read
Athletes Revive like Pros with Toyota Motor Europe Recovery Rooms
The athletes competing at the Special Olympics Unified Volleyball World Cup in Katowice this October can expect to enjoy elite standard post-competition facilities with dedicated Recovery Rooms developed and supported by Toyota Motor Europe.
2 Min Read
Meet Special Olympics Mongolia Women’s Volleyball Head Coach Nara Altangere
Wife, mother of three, and former volleyball player, Naranchimeg Altangere, better known as Nara, is a physical education teacher and physical therapist at Special School 70, where she has been teaching and coaching for the past three years.
4 Min Read
Get to know Special Olympics Poland Men’s/Mixed Volleyball Head Coach Radek Łypczak
Special Olympics Poland’s Men/Mixed Volleyball Head Coach, Radek Łypczak, shared his background with volleyball and his coaching philosophy as he gears up to head to Katowice with his team next week for the Special Olympics Unified Volleyball World Cup.
3 Min Read
International Council for Coaching Excellence’s Global Coaches Day: Get to Know the Unified Volleyball World Cup Coaches
Special Olympics is once again joining the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE) on their Global Coaches Day 2025 to say thank you to all the coaches around the world who make Special Olympics sport programming possible!
1 Min Read
Learn about Special Olympics Namibia Women’s Volleyball Coach Kristofina Bartromeus
Kristofina Bartromeus, is using her background (playing/working) in volleyball and her education on coaching people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, to prepare herself to coach her team in Poland for the Special Olympics Unified Volleyball World Cup.
2 Min Read
Special Olympics Presented with the Fair Play Award for Peace 2025
The President of the European Fair Play Movement and the Italian National Fair Play Committee and Panathlon Wallonie-Bruxelles awarded Special Olympics the Fair Play Award for Peace 2025.
1 Min Read