Many may not be aware, but the 2025 National Games for Special Olympians are on.
The event launched on May 10 at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, under the theme Uniting the nation through inclusion and athletic excellence.
Cadel Cuffie, the Special Olympics division record holder in the boys’ 200m at the Carifta Games, gave the oath that opened the games.
The games will continue until June 14, and athletes with intellectual disabilities will compete in eight sports from nine schools.
The TT Special Olympics nationals will feature the efforts of 800 athletes supported by 200 coaches and 350 volunteers over the four weeks it will be staged.
They will compete in bocce, volleyball, athletics, powerlifting, basketball, football, aquatics, and equestrian events. Among the institutions fielding competitors are Happy Haven, the Lady Hochoy homes in North Trinidad, Gasparillo, the Lady Hochoy Schools in Penal and Gasparillo, Memisa Centre, Independents, and the National Centre for Persons with Disabilities.
Bocce events occurred on launch day, followed by volleyball on May 17. On May 24, athletics and powerlifting events were staged, and equestrian events will be on show today, May 25.
The Tobago edition of the games will be convened on May 28, with basketball events scheduled for June 7, followed by aquatics and football on June 17.
The Special Olympics Committee (SOTT) plans to host the national beach games in October and the national floorball games in November.
Special Olympians were last seen in action at the Carifta Athletics Championships in April, competing for the third time at that level of competition.
Their presence at Carifta was a powerful reminder that the essence of sport is not feral competition, but the challenge of achieving a personal best against peers and colleagues.
For many Special Olympians, these races are just a part of the challenges they will face integrating into society, and these events allow them an opportunity to give their best in a spirit of fun and camaraderie.
That spirit is at the heart of the Special Olympics mission, which reaches 200 million people with intellectual disabilities globally and offers opportunities for these athletes to build their confidence, improve their health, and develop a sense of healthy competitiveness and aspiration. Speaking about how that mission is translated into local efforts, Major David Benjamin, chairman of SOTT, said at the volleyball event on May 17 that, “Our mission is to ensure that every athlete experiences the joy of participation, gives their best effort, and leaves the arena with a sense of accomplishment and belonging.”
The country has been busy with the change in government, but the efforts of these aspirational children are worth more attention as they work toward the international games.
The post Support our special Olympians appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.
