No one does a welcome home party quite like Special Olympics! Just under 1400 triumphant athletes from the Europe Eurasia region arrived back as heroes following the World Winter Games in Austria.
A series of wonderful celebrations involving government leaders, local Olympic and Paralympics committee members, and prominent sport stars took place. In Slovenia, the team was greeted by the current Downhill World Champion Ilka Stuhec. In Uzbekistan, a televised press conference, featuring athletes and coaches from the delegation, took place. In Hungary, László Szabó, President of the Hungarian Paralympic Committee, and, László Fábián, Sports Director of the Hungarian Olympics Committee, attended the welcome events.
Special Olympics Cyprus athletes were honored at a reception hosted by the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades. Lastly, Special Olympics Poland athletes met First Lady of Poland, Agata Kornhauser-Duda, a long-time supporter of the Special Olympics movement.