5 from DK to take part in Special Olympics World Games

Five athletes from Dakshina Kannada will take part in the Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi in 2019.

One athlete from Udupi will also take part. A total of 20 athletes are representing Karnataka in the Games.

Five trainers also are leaving for Abu Dhabi from Karnataka. “The training will begin on March 1. Three athletes from Saanidhya Residential School and Training Centre for the Mentally Challenged and two from St Agnes Special School will take part,” said Special Olympics Bharath Regional Director Kumuda T A.

She was speaking at the state-level Special Olympics Athletic Championship, ‘Spoorthi 2018-19’, organised by the Lions Club and Special Olympics Bharath-Karnataka at Mangala Stadium in Mangaluru on Tuesday.

She said, “Special Olympics competition was started 50 years ago. In the first Special Olympics in America, representatives from only nine countries had taken part. Over, the years, the number of participants have increased. Now, representatives from various more countries take part.”

In the state -level Special Olympics Athletics Championship, 450 athletes from 20 special schools of Karnataka and 100 trainers are taking part. Each athlete can take part in two competitions. The competitions are 100 metre, 200 metre, 400 metre, shot put, and long jump, 50 metre race, ball throw.