BERLIN (KLFY) -- Today marks the start of the 2023 Special Olympic Games.
Athletes from 190 delegates across the world celebrated the Opening Ceremony hosted at Olympic Stadium in Berlin. Special Olympics USA arrived in Berlin on Thursday.
Yesterday, Special Olympics USA delegates were featured on Good Morning America live from the Brandenburg Gate. The segment spotlighted Special Olympics USA tennis athlete and Chief Inspiration Officer Loretta Claiborne.
The following afternoon, WWE superstar and Special Olympics Global Ambassador Drew McIntyre surprised Special Olympics USA athletes to wish them luck in competition.
The competition begins on Sunday.
"If you are searching for a reason to believe that we can overcome all of the division in the world, we say, 'Let you come to Berlin,'" said Special Olympics Chairman Timothy Shriver.
Special Olympics USA is made up of 95 athletes, 34 Unified partners, 38 coaches and 26 support staff from 46 U.S. states.
The Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023 will feature more than 7,000 athletes who will compete in 26 Olympic summer sports: athletics, badminton, basketball, basketball 3x3, beach volleyball, bocce, bowling, cycling, equestrian, field hockey, football, futsal, golf, artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, handball, judo, kayaking, open water swimming, powerlifting, roller skating, sailing, swimming, table tennis, tennis and volleyball.
The Special Olympics was founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968. The mission of the Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
Every two years, the word transcends the boundaries of their differences to come together celebrate the Special Olympics World Games. The Games alternate between summer and winter and is the flagship event of the Special Olympics movement.
