Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023
The Special Olympics World Games are the world's largest inclusive sports event. Athletes with intellectual disabilities will compete together in 26 sports across nine days of exciting and inspiring competitions.
From 17 – 25 June 2023, Berlin, Germany will host 7,000 Special Olympics athletes and Unified partners from approximately 190 countries to compete in 26 sports. The athletes will be supported by more than 3,000 coaches and 20,000 volunteers.
Sixty-four athletes will represent Australia at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games, and among them are four equestrian athletes!
To mark the occasion, a farewell ceremony was recently hosted at Brisbane Airport. Equestrian Queensland CEO, Briston Toft attended the celebration with industry leaders and MPs to send off the athletes.
The four Australian equestrian athletes are Karen Messmer, 16, from Rockhampton; Oliver King, 16, from Brisbane; Jaye Barnesby, 20, from Perth; and Isabella Parisi, 23, from the Gold Coast. All four athletes are set to compete at their first World Games and will compete on borrowed horses in three events each. Karen, Oliver and Isabella are doing dressage, English trail and equitation, and Jaye is doing dressage, equitation and equitation jumping.
“Sport can help provide individuals living with intellectual disability and autism with personal achievement, pride, and inclusion. Special Olympics provides a space where the world can see this first hand, and I am incredibly proud of the Australian team heading off to the World Games today. We have an outstanding line up of athletes and we can’t wait for Australia to see what they will show us on the world stage. It will be inspiring!” said Pierre Comis, Chief Executive Officer at Special Olympics Australia.
We wish the Equestrian Team all the best and the Australian Special Olympics Team.
Follow Team Australia HERE.
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