KUWAIT, March 2 (KUNA) -- Kuwait's Special Olympics team is set to participate in the 12th Special Olympics World Winter Games 2025, which will be hosted in Italy, from March 8 to 15.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Kuwaiti Special Olympics Hana Al-Zawawi told KUNA on Sunday that the athletes are highly motivated, and has undergone extensive training camps in preparation for the event, aiming to achieve national sporting success.
Al-Zawawi acknowledged the challenges faced by the delegation, particularly the limited access to winter sports training facilities in Kuwait, emphasizing that the team has put in significant effort, and expressed hope that the team would set new records for Kuwait's sports scene, particularly for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
The Kuwaiti delegation consists of three athletes, accompanied by their guardians, the head of the delegation, and a doctor participating in the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes program, which provides health screenings for all competitors.
Head of the delegation Khaled Al-Nasser told KUNA that the Kuwaiti athletes will face strong competition, as participants from various countries are accustomed to winter conditions and sports, unlike the Kuwaiti athletes, and commended the technical staff for their extensive efforts in preparing the athletes, expressing optimism about achieving a new milestone for Kuwait.
The delegation includes Maryam Theyab in figure skating, and Hajar Al-Rashidi and Abdullah Al-Ali in snowshoe running.
Al-Nasser hopes they would follow in the footsteps of Kuwaiti Special Olympics athletes who secured 21 medals at the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin.
Accompanying the team, Dr. Bibi Al-Ameeri, who is part of Kuwait's delegation, emphasized that the participation of athletes with intellectual disabilities is a testament to their resilience and determination in overcoming various challenges.
The 12th Special Olympics World Winter Games 2025 in Turin is the largest sporting event for athletes with intellectual disabilities, over 1,500 athletes from 102 countries would compete across eight winter sports. (end) slm.dss