World Day for Physical Activity is celebrated globally on 6 April each year, emphasizing the importance of staying active through sport and physical fitness daily. Physical fitness is a key aspect of Special Olympics’ mission. Special Olympics encourages athletes and their communities to engage in year-round fitness activities to promote optimal health and sports performance.
Data collected from a 2018 Special Olympics athlete satisfaction survey showed 58% of Special Olympics athletes said they joined Special Olympics “to stay fit and healthy.” Staying active not only enhances sport performance but prevents and manages non-communicable diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes, reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improves overall well-being.
One way Special Olympics promotes healthy lifestyles is through the work of Health Messengers. Health Messengers are Special Olympics athletes who are trained to serve as health and wellness leaders in their communities by leading education and fitness activities and empowering athletes to advocate for the health needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Since 2016, over 5,000 athletes have been trained to serve as leaders and advocates in their communities.
This World Day for Physical Activity, Special Olympics is highlighting four Health Messengers for their leadership in inspiring athletes and community members to stay active year-round.
Below, meet four Health Messengers who are getting their communities moving.
José Miguel Ramírez González - Special Olympics Colombia
Health Messenger José Miguel Ramírez González is a dedicated swimmer and a leader in his community. José believes in the power of fitness and always encourages athletes to push themselves. He has a natural ability to inspire those around him, leading by example and showing how committing to a healthy lifestyle makes lasting impacts.
José understands that staying motivated is key to inspiring others and shares, “we motivate ourselves every day to improve our physical activity goals. For example, if I ran 5 kilometers yesterday, my goal for the next day is to increase the distance I ran. This will certainly have a beneficial effect on our health and well-being.”
Understanding that physical fitness can benefit one's overall well-being, Jose adds, “being physically active makes me feel happy and healthy. It improves my mood, increases my confidence and self-esteem, and makes me feel comfortable with my physical appearance. Staying physically active improves my muscle strength and helps me increase my endurance in the pool.”
José’s influence extends beyond the pool with his positive mindset and dedication to building healthy lifestyles in his community.
Joe MacNamara - Special Olympics Ireland
Health Messenger Joe MacNamara has made it his goal to educate athletes and community members about nutrition and fitness. Joe shares his knowledge of food groups and portion sizes to help athletes stay fit and strong. In addition to his passion of teaching others, Joe is equally dedicated to promoting year-round physical activity in his community. Recently, Joe led a four-month weekly fitness program for his swimming teammates, encouraging them to stay active outside of the pool.
Joe emphasizes that staying active is beneficial for everyone, encouraging not only his teammates to stay active but also families and other community members. He shares, “it is good to take fresh air and walking is good for health and well-being and staying fit. If you do a walk with Team South Galway, you can bring your dog as well. It is good for family members in the local community to walk for their health and being active is good for your physical and mental well-being.”
Highlighting that physical fitness benefits more than just sports performance, Joe explains, “physical activity can help change the chemicals in our brain which can result in a positive mood change. There is some evidence to suggest that exercise can bring about a sense of greater self-esteem, self-control and the ability to rise to a challenge.”
To Joe, fitness means improving your overall well-being, both physically and mentally. Joe plans to continue leading the exercise program in the future.
Urimondjira Ruzo – Special Olympics Namibia
A Health Messenger, Sport Assistant Coach, Fitness Captain, and a Youth Leader, Urimondjira Ruzo is a community-driven individual. He is a dual-sport athlete, playing floorball and soccer, and leads fitness sessions in his community. Urimondjira is always looking for ways to make a positive impact. As a Special Olympics athlete, he knows sports and fitness have a unique way of connecting people.
Urimondjira reflected on the social aspect of physical fitness sharing, “physical activity keeps me healthy and makes me make friends.” As an athlete, he understands first-hand how being part of a community not only connects people but promotes overall well-being.
Understanding the positive impact sports and fitness provide, Urimondjira shares, "my hope for others on this World Day for Physical Activity is for more people to start moving and stay active and try to enjoy it.”
Armando Renta – Special Olympics Puerto Rico
Armando Renta, a Health Messenger and Athlete Leader is an experienced swimmer and inspirational leader. He is an assistant coach for his local swimming program, Breaking Barriers of the Municipality of Ponce, and is responsible for teaching children and young adults swimming and fitness skills.
Armando understands the impact fitness can have both in and outside of the pool. He reflected on the importance of motivating each other to stay active, sharing, “I like to encourage and motivate these children and young people to do physical activities because it is vital to maintain good health.”
To Armando, it’s important to encourage others to take charge of their own health, adding, “physical activity is important for everyone. For my athletes in the Breaking Barriers program, swimming is a very appealing activity. It is a well-rounded sport. They find it fun, and at the same time, I manage to help them live a healthier and more productive life through physical activity.”
By working with community members and athletes, Armando is motivating athletes and community members to live healthier lives through his love of swimming.
Health Messengers remind us of the importance of staying consistent and staying active year-round, and how this can promote overall well-being among athletes, families, and community members.
Special Olympics and the American Council on Exercise launched a free, six module online course designed for people both with and without IDD. The course features real-world examples, including Special Olympics athletes, interactive learning modules, and post-course resources to help individuals gain confidence and skills to inspire communities to be more active, just like these four Health Messengers. Take the free course to become a Community Physical Activity Leader and inspire communities to stay active.
