On July 6, the Macao Sports Delegation triumphantly returned to Macao, having successfully completed all their tasks at the 13th Special Olympics World Summer Games, which took place in Athens, Greece from 25th of June to 4th of July 2011. It was the 7th time which Macao Sports Delegation participated in the Games and they competed in 7 of 22 sports in the Games including Athletics, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tenpin Bowling, Badminton, Bocce and Canoeing. Through the joint efforts of the whole delegation, and in the spirit of the Special Olympics “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt” athletes of the Macao delegation achieved their best ever result and came home with 15 gold, 17 silver and 9 bronze medals.
Special Olympics were founded in 1968 and they are an international sports competition designed for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Prior to 1975, the Games were held only sporadically but from then on, they have been held every 4 years . To this date, the Games have been held 11 times with more than 7500 athletes from 183 countries and regions participating in the present edition. Alongside the competitions, other non-sporting events such as the Global Youth Summit, the Healthy Athletes Program, and the Family Forum were also held during the Games.
Macao athletes, defiedstrong opponents and gave their all during the Games, where they displayed their skills at the highest level with perseverance and optimism. While showcasing their skills, the athletes also fully enjoyed the experience and achieved excellent results. In addition, they were able to carry out exchanges with athletes from various countries, broaden their horizons and enjoy the joy of their success.
Ms. Cheung So Mui Cecília, Chief of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, attended a welcome luncheon of the Special Olympics East Asia Region and met with the representatives of the International Special Olympics and the Special Olympics East Asia Region. She also attended the opening ceremony of the Games and a number of sport competitions in which the delegation participated in, where she cheered them on and encouraged them to strive for great success for the Macao SAR.
