World Summer Games

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!

The following is an excerpt from the article titled “Special Olympics South Africa National Team launches its ‘Road to Berlin’” in Cape Town ETC newspaper:

On 17 April, Special Olympics runner Trent Hampton took part in the historic 127th Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts.

On June 7, the flame of the Special Olympics World Games will be lit in Athens.

28 April 2023 - In 50 days, Berlin will host the world's largest inclusive sports event with 7,000 athletes from 190 delegations. The biggest multi-sport event in Germany since the 1972 Olympic Games, will kick off with the opening ceremony on June 17 in Berlin's Olympic Stadium.

In this week’s episode, Josh and Novie spoke with Natalie Ullrich, senior manager of the Special Olympics Festival at the World Games.

Shavanna Mahoe has the distinction of being Hawaii’s first and only Special Olympics athlete who serves as a certified bocce official.