This weekend marked the start of the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens. The global competition takes place June 25 to July 4 bringing together 7,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities from approximately 170 countries.
The Special Olympics is a non-profit organization that was officially founded in 1968, with the first official US Olympic games taking place in 1971. For the past 40 years the games have evolved into a Global Movement offering 3.1 million athletes with intellectual disabilities from 185 countries, the opportunity to use sports to reinforce self-esteem and discover special abilities.
The athletes will compete in 20 Olympic-type sports over the next two weeks. The athletes will not only break world records, but will inspire the world with their perseverance by defying unbelievable challenges.
To learn more about the games, watch or learn about the competitors, visit their international site.