New Delhi [India]October 17 (ANI): Special Olympics India athletes run Delhi Half Marathon to spread the power of sports 50 Special Olympics from Delhi NCR To spread awareness about Special Olympics World Summer Games to be held in Berlin in June 2023 With the athletes showcasing their positive energy and determination to win in the global sporting event, their friends ran 2.5 km in the Delhi Half Marathon.
The Champions with Disability and Senior Citizen Run categories showcased inclusivity at the center of the event. Athletes with intellectual disabilities joined nearly 25,000+ runners from across the world at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday morning.
The SO India leadership including Mallika Nadda, Chairperson and Air Commodore LK Sharma, Executive Director enthusiastically participated in the event to cheer the runners up. The Champions with Disability category was flagged off at 7:25 am.
On the occasion, Mallika Nadda commented: “The Champions with Disability is a great initiative started by the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. It provides people with disabilities a chance to be competitive and have a broader running experience, which is the ultimate goal. It also ensures that they enjoy and feel welcome while participating in any sport. The time has come for us to change the perception of people to recognize and acknowledge the abilities of different people, thereby giving them a meaningful game experience.
The spirit of inclusion took over the program with the Great Delhi Run, which was flagged off at 9.10 am. It saw thousands of participants running for causes they believed in and wanted to support by leading them through the race. The spirit of #RangDeDilli, which resonated unconditionally with all runners, demonstrated the power of sport to lower barriers to spread joy and promote solidarity.
SO India athlete and board member Siddhant Nath, who led the team, commented: “I felt very proud as I led the SO India team holding the SO India banner. We definitely want to be a part of such mega-events. So that we can connect with people from different backgrounds and they are also familiar with us, and we can all enjoy truly inclusive moments.”
About 200 athletes and 60 coaches from Special Olympics India will participate in 14 sports at the Special Olympics World Summer Games to be held in Berlin Germany from 17-23 June 2023. About 7,000 Special Olympics athletes from around 170 countries and Unified Partners will participate in this mega event across 24 sports. Since 1987, 1266 athletes have participated in the Special Olympics World Games, winning 1499 medals. The Delhi Run was an opportunity for them to acknowledge differences, connect with them and draw the attention of communities to see them as respected individuals. (ANI)
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