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Games and Competition
World Games North Carolina 1999 Logo
  • Location: Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
    Dates: 26th June – 4th July 1999
    Theme: Its All About Attitude
    7,000 Athletes
    150 Programs
    1999 Games: Thirty Years of Progress
    Videos
    1999 Games: Thirty Years of Progress
    Mrs. Shriver marvels at the changes in expectations and attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities in the 30-year history of Special Olympics.
27 Sports A – Z
Athletics (Track & Field)
Athletics
Coaching Resources
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Badminton
Coaching Resources
Basketball
Basketball
Coaching Resources
Bocce
Bocce
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Bowling
Bowling
Coaching Resources
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Cycling
Coaching Resources
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Stick Shooting
Coaching Resources
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Football
Coaching Resources
Golf
Golf
Coaching Resources
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Gymnastics-Artistic
Coaching Resources
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Gymnastics-Rhythmic
Coaching Resources
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Handball
Coaching Resources
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Long Jump
Powerlifting
Powerlifting
Coaching Resources
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Roller Skating
Coaching Resources
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Sailing
Coaching Resources
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Softball
Coaching Resources
Aquatics
Swimming
Coaching Resources
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Table Tennis
Coaching Resources
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Volleyball
Coaching Resources
Eunice Kennedy Shriver celebrates with Loretta Clairborne, holding her had up in victory.
1999 World Games, Eunice Kennedy Shriver celebrates with athlete
Runners from the Law Enforcement Torch Run together in a group, a young woman in a wheel chair is holding the Eternal Flame.
1999 World Games Torch Run.
Marty Sheetz's hand help up in victory.
Marty Sheetz (right) seen here with Mike Stone, both men are Special Olympics athletes from North Carolina. They shared this special moment at the 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games Opening Ceremonies. credit: Scott Suchman for Special Olympics
Three men from the USA Softball team poses for a photo.
1999 World Games, USA Softball team poses for a photo.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver and the Sargent Shriver International Global Messengers on stage.
1999 Eunice Kennedy Shriver with Global athletes.
One player dribbling the ball going for the basket while a player from the opposing team attempts to block him.
1999 World Games basketball game.
A field and bleachers full of people at the closing ceremony.
1999 World Games Closing Ceremony.
Read about Special Olympics World Games
Group of people holding the flame of hope.
In the News
The Flame is Lit for World Games Berlin 2023
The moment has come: The Special Olympics Flame of Hope™ was lit by a high priestess in Athens, Greece, in a solemn ceremony at the historic temple Zappeion Megaron. The flame will now be sent on its journey before arriving at the Opening Ceremony at Olympiastadion on 17 June.
1 Min Read
Heidi Kuder, Natascha Wermelskirchen and Tamara Röske sitting next to one another as they pose for photos.
Athletes
Special Olympics Athletes Model for VOGUE Germany
This excerpt is from the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023’s article, “Our athletes model for VOGUE Germany.”
1 Min Read
Young man with his arms up after finishing a gymnastics routine.
Athletes
“Happiness and Pride Through Sports”—Li Xiang’s Story
In China, people with intellectual disabilities can face stigma from the moment of diagnosis. For decades, even the words for people with disabilities included a slur: ascanfei ren, literally “disabled garbage people.”
1 Min Read
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