Special Olympics USA Team Named
201 Athletes, Coaches and Staff to Represent the United States at Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023 including 3 Rhode Island delegates
January 19, 2023 – Smithfield, Rhode Island — 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.
Representing Special Olympics Rhode Island are Brian Johnson (Warwick), athlete – Bocce; Dave Young (Cranston), unified partner – Bocce and Adam Johnson (Smithfield), Assistant Coach – Golf.
“It is with tremendous excitement and pride to learn that Brian, Dave and Adam will be representing Rhode Island as members of Special Olympics USA,” said Ed Pacheco, President of Special Olympics Rhode Island. “Through their participation on the world stage our very own athletes, Unified partners and coaches will have the opportunity to showcase their talents for all to see what we already know, Rhode Island is home to the greatest athletes in the world.”
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 3×3, 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. Hashtag: #Cheer4USA
For more information about the Special Olympics Rhode Island delegates please contact Gerri Walter at gerri@specialolympicsri.org or call (401) 349-4900.
For more information about the Special Olympics USA delegation or the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023, please contact Rachel McQuiston, Sr. Manager of Marketing and Communications, Special Olympics North America, at rmcquiston@specialolympics.org.
About Special Olympics Rhode Island
Special Olympics Rhode Island provides year-round sports training and athletic competition to over 3,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities, at no cost to the athlete or their caregiver, as a means to achieve physical fitness, healthy choices, self-esteem and the life skills necessary to be productive, respected and contributing members of their communities.
Special Olympics is sports, health and so much more. It is a movement that transforms lives by inspiring inclusion, understanding and respect for people of all abilities, on and off the playing fields.
Learn more at www.specialolympicsri.org