Special Olympics USA Team Named

201 Athletes, Coaches and Staff to Represent the United States at Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Special Olympics USA is proud to announce that it will send a 201-member delegation to represent the United States at the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023, being held June 17-25, 2023.

Special Olympics USA is comprised of 133 athletes and Unified partners, 38 coaches and 23 delegation members who support team operations. Athletes will compete in 14 of the 26 sports offered: athletics, basketball, bocce, bowling, cycling, golf, gymnastics – artistic, gymnastics—rhythmic, kayaking, powerlifting, sailing, soccer, swimming, tennis and volleyball.

The delegation also includes Special Olympics Unified Sports® teams, where people with and without intellectual disabilities compete together, as teammates. Special Olympics USA will have representation in the following Unified Sports: basketball, bocce, bowling, golf, sailing, soccer, tennis and volleyball.

To learn more about the Special Olympics USA delegation, please visit www.specialolympicsusa.org for a full delegation listing, photos and bios.

Special Olympics USA is the national delegation that represents the United States at the Special Olympics World Games and Special Olympics World Winter Games. Delegation members compete in an array of the 30-plus official Special Olympics sports, in individual and team formats. 

Every two years, the world transcends the boundaries of geography, nationality, political philosophy, gender, age, culture and religion to come together for the Special Olympics World Games. Alternating between summer and winter Games, this event is the flagship event of the Special Olympics movement, which promotes inclusion, equality and acceptance around the world.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these athletes and Unified partners to demonstrate their athletic abilities, competing at the highest level on the world stage, and to have life and cultural experiences that will stay with them for the rest of their lives," said Craig Pippert, Head of Delegation for Special Olympics USA. "I encourage every American to cheer for USA, share in the triumphs of our delegation and to take pride in knowing that the athletes, Unified partners and coaches will represent our country with excellence and honor."

The Games will be the world's largest sports and humanitarian event taking place in 2023, and the biggest multi-sport event in Berlin in decades. The Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023 will feature more than 7,000 Special Olympics athletes from over 190 countries who will compete in 26 Olympic-type summer sports: athletics, badminton, basketball, basketball 3x3, beach volleyball, bocce, bowling, cycling, equestrian, field hockey, football, futsal, golf, gymnastics – artistic, gymnastics—rhythmic, handball, judo, kayaking, open water swimming, powerlifting, roller skating, sailing, swimming, table tennis, tennis and volleyball.

ESPN's global television networks and digital media will bring extensive coverage to sports fans and supporters of the Special Olympics movement around the world. As the official broadcast partner of Special Olympics, ESPN's television coverage will be carried across its networks in the United States as well as streamed through WatchESPN and the ESPN App.

Bank of America is the Premier Sponsor of Special Olympics USA. Champion is the Official Supplier and Supporter of Special Olympics USA. MTM is Recognition Partner of Special Olympics USA.

To follow Special Olympics USA, visit www.specialolympicsusa.org, and follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/specialolympicsusa,Twitter: @specialolyUSA and Instagram: @specialolympicsusa. Hash Tag: #Cheer4USA 

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SOURCE Special Olympics, Inc.