Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Find Special Olympics Near Me
We are helping to make the world a better, healthier and more joyful place—one athlete, one volunteer, one family member at a time.
Your Program
Based on your location, your local program is %location%.
Your location could not be automatically determined. Choose a program below:
Your Special Olympics Local Program:
Looking for a different local program? Choose a program from the list below:
Athletes

Hungary’s Zsombor Bohn Wins Gold And Ventures Towards A New Dream

At 22 years old, Hungarian wunderkind Zsombor Bohn brings home double gold for the 777m and the 500m race in Division 01 of Speed Skating and bronze in the 1000m race at the Special Olympics World Winter Games 2025! On receiving the medals, Zsombor said, “I can’t believe it and yet I can believe it - I won!”
A speed skater competes in a speed skating race at an ice rink. Beside him are three other speed skating athletes
Zsombor Bohn readies himself as he races to first place at the Speed Track Skating Finals in Pala Tazzoli

From the age of six, Zsombor has been gliding across the ice and asphalt with the agility and precision of a natural speed skater. Speed Skating is a form of ice skating in which competitors race against each other, typically around an oval track. Now, sixteen years later, both astonished and humbled at his achievement, Zsombor shares that he arrived in Turin with one goal only: to give everything he had on the ice. “I feel so excited to be here, I was so focused on my races. Now I can take in the sights of Turin tomorrow,” he laughs. “I did what I came to do.”

Zsombor has prepared for the Winter Games in Turin by training religiously. In addition to the training sessions within Special Olympics Hungary, he also trains regularly at mainstream club, “Ferencvaros Sports Club”. To prepare for the pressure and stimulation of the Games, Zsombor also has sessions with a sports psychologist. Sports psychologists can help athletes of all backgrounds prepare for their overall performance by giving them the tools to have a healthy mindset before and after the race. “Sports have taught me to fight for my goals in life, but they’ve also taught me to respect others.”

Four athletes stand together on a podium with their medals at a Special Olympics awards ceremony for Speed Skating. The background is blue with Special Olympics logos and lettering
Zsombor with his fellow athletes, seconds after receiving his gold medal on Friday

While very proud to represent Hungary at the Games once again, Zsombor’s victory wasn’t just about winning. During the award ceremony, standing on the podium at 1st place, he motioned for his fellow competitors in 2nd, 3rd and 4th place, to stand with him, just as photographers clamoured for a photo of Zsombor and his gold medal. Zsombor made sure his fellow athletes stood in the spotlight with him—embodying what it means to be a winner.

A speed skater races on the ice of an ice rink as he competes in a speed skating competition.
Zsombor races ahead in the Division 1 Finals

Watching from the stands, his ecstatic parents and close friends can hardly contain their joy. Back in Budapest, his twin sister, Zsofia, and his grandmother are cheering him on, having seen him through previous Games—like the World Games in Schladming in 2017 where Zsombor once again took home gold. “This is not my first time, I’ve been with the Special Olympics since I was 14. But this time, competing at the Games is extra special—it will be my last.”

A Speed Skating athlete poses with both his parents, a man and a woman, after competing in a competition. An ice rink is depicted in the background
Zsombor Bohn poses at Pala Tazzoli with his biggest fans, his parents

With the echoes of applause still ringing in his ears, Zsombor reveals with confidence, that his time as a competitive speed skater has reached its pinnacle.

“I love speed skating, for sure, but I’m ready for my next dream. I’m training to become a DJ,” he divulges, to the surprise of his coach and fellow teammates. While his love for skating won’t fade, his heart is racing toward a different track. Inspired by his favorite musician, Los Angeles-based Industrial-Techno DJ, Fantasm, Zsombor has set his sights on becoming a professional DJ. The thrill of creating music, of moving a crowd similar to the way he does when he’s gliding across the ice, fills him with new anticipation. “I want to make music and I want to finally live an independent lifestyle,” smiling at the thought, “and if I can create Industrial Techno music specifically, this will be my next adventure achieved.”

A speed skater is pictured racing on the ice during a speed skating competition during the Special Olympics Winter Games
Zsombor Bohn, the definition of speed, as he races in what may be his last Speed Skating final

As the Games in Turin draw to a close, with the Closing Ceremony taking place on 15 March in Turin, Zsombor will surely remember these Games, as a monumental turning point in his journey—both as an athlete and now as an artist. As Zsombor says goodbye to the World Games, he has some words of wisdom for future athletes, “The qualities I’ve acquired through sports have helped me in my everyday life. So never give up on what you seek. Perseverance is key. But if things don’t work out the way you planned, don’t worry.”

Recommended Content

Sports At Any Age: Austria’s Gerhard Kirnbauer Races On

At 66-years-old, Austria’s Gerhard Kirnbauer is the oldest athlete at the Special Olympics World Winter Games. Competing in the 100-meter and 200-meter Snowshoeing, he’s showing the world that it is never too late to take on new challenges!
2 Min Read

“At the End of the Race, he Wants to Keep Going!”: Slovenia’s Uroš Kotnik has a Need For Speed!

For Uroš Kotnik, a three-time gold-medalist, forward is the only way ahead. The 35-year-old cross country skier arrived in Pragelato, at the Special Olympics World Winter Games 2025, ready to set another milestone in his remarkable journey, and take home another gold.
3 Min Read

Snowboarder Marcel Schilling Wins Double Silver on the Slopes

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.
4 Min Read