Cheers for Champions

"Nobody judges me or my disability. It's where I feel happy and can be myself."

Artistic gymnast Li Xiang of China has been competing at Special Olympics World Games since he was 11 years old.

Khadija Sy, the silver medal-winning 200m sprinter from the 2019 Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi, is back in action. This time, she's at the 2023 World Games in Berlin, Germany—as accredited media for the Games!

In China, people with intellectual disabilities can face stigma from the moment of diagnosis.

Jessy Lane is a dedicated, diligent athlete who doesn't give up easily. That's also how she lost 100 pounds: through steady & consistent training.

Ablaye Ndiaye is one of the stars of his neighborhood in Senegal’s capital, Dakar. Yet, years ago, he was mostly an outcast due to negative beliefs and stereotypes about people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities.

Special Olympics is all about bringing out the best in everyone. Special Olympics Unified Sports, which brings together people with and without intellectual disabilities, takes this transformation to another level. Now, meet a Unified Basketball team from Florida, USA that’s taking the power of “playing unified” to the global level at the 2023 World Games in Berlin.

Rehan grew up in a part of Libya where people with Down syndrome face widespread discrimination in education, training, and even medical care. Early on, her family had to cope with stigma and her rejection from society.

It's been a hard road for Ella to become a cycling champion—literally. At age six, she had a traumatic fall from her bike; for years, the fear of falling and of the pain never left her. Ella, who has Down syndrome, was terrified and would shake with fear at even the suggestion of a bike ride.

Anas Al-Zerba has made a name for himself as a role model for people with intellectual disabilities, for people with Down syndrome—and for everybody else!