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Athletes

World Games Spotlight: Rehan Ali, Libya

Rehan grew up in a part of Libya where people with Down syndrome face widespread discrimination in education, training, and even medical care. Early on, her family had to cope with stigma and her rejection from society.

This struggle continued when Rehan was not accepted into the school system. Her parents took up the challenge and pushed for her to be educated along with her peers. But it was not to be. Eventually, her family decided to teach her at home.

The family also tried hard to find ways to discover Rehan’s talents and help her make friends. Soon, she discovered her love for swimming; her mother became her personal coach on the beach in Benghazi.

When Rehan joined Special Olympics, she began working even more to improve her skills. She excelled at the Special Olympics Regional Games for Middle East and North Africa in 2018 and at the World Games in Abu Dhabi in 2019. In fact, she won gold, silver and bronze medals.

She is so excited to be competing at the World Games in Berlin—and once again proving all the great abilities of people with Down syndrome.

Read about more Champions!

Taking “Play Unified” to the Next Level

Special Olympics is all about bringing out the best in everyone. Special Olympics Unified Sports, which brings together people with and without intellectual disabilities, takes this transformation to another level. Now, meet a Unified Basketball team from Florida, USA that’s taking the power of “playing unified” to the global level at the 2023 World Games in Berlin.
2 Min Read

Once Excluded, Ablaye Is Now ‘One of Us’

Ablaye Ndiaye is one of the stars of his neighborhood in Senegal’s capital, Dakar. Yet, years ago, he was mostly an outcast due to negative beliefs and stereotypes about people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities.
1 Min Read

World Games Spotlight: Anas Khalil Al-Zerba, Palestine

Anas Al-Zerba has made a name for himself as a role model for people with intellectual disabilities, for people with Down syndrome—and for everybody else!
1 Min Read

World Games Spotlight: Ella Curtis, Great Britain

It's been a hard road for Ella to become a cycling champion—literally. At age six, she had a traumatic fall from her bike; for years, the fear of falling and of the pain never left her. Ella, who has Down syndrome, was terrified and would shake with fear at even the suggestion of a bike ride.
1 Min Read