Athletes

The Division B Unified floorball match on Court 3 was a thrilling showdown between Special Olympics Italy and Special Olympics Germany.

Marcel Schilling, a charismatic 34-year-old snowboarder from Thurgau, Switzerland, has kicked off his Special Olympics World Winter Games 2025 experience in style, adding two silver medals – in Intermediate Giant Slalom and Intermediate Super G – to his growing collection.

With no snow in Costa Rica, snowshoeing athletes Ashly Sanchez Ledezma and Emily Salguero Mata got creative with their training by practicing on a volcano.

At just 3 years old, Special Olympics Netherlands athlete Kenya Koene began dancing. The footwork came naturally, as she followed in the footsteps of her mother, Irene Reniers, a longtime dancer. Inherently, ballroom dancing is based on the concepts of leading and following. As is customary, the male partner leads, keeping time and initiating the next step. Regardless of who leads, the foundation of the dance is built upon the connection shared between partners.

Special Olympics Estonia athlete Helen Nääme kicked off the Games by leading her delegation in the Parade of Athletes at Opening Ceremony. On Tuesday, she sailed her way into the DanceSport finals! What next for Helen’s Games’ adventure?

If you were to see Shane François Bentley today—gliding on the ice, defending on the soccer field, or diving into a swimming pool—you’d never guess the mountain of challenges he’s had to overcome.

While pursuing his medical degree at the University of Nairobi, Dr. Gome was an avid basketball player, dedicating his Saturdays to the sport he loved.

Pala Giani Asti was a party this morning as over 200 children from 7 area schools gathered for Special Olympics Young Athletes.

Gonzolo Escobar from Special Olympics Chile earned the first medal of the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025!

Yesterday marks a historic day for the Special Olympics Motor Activity Training Program (MATP) when the first-ever MATP Demonstration took place at the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025.

Their shared love of soccer has brought them not only friendship but also a powerful mission: to unite children with and without intellectual disabilities through sports—and to fight bullying in their community.

For Special Olympics athlete, Veronica Diaz Rainieri, anything and everything is possible for everyone. A two-sport athlete in swimming and skiing, Diaz Rainieri is an inspiration for the youth in her native country of the Dominican Republic.