The competitions start today after yesterday’s opening ceremony at the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin.
Margaret Turley and Gemma Haire will be representing Kilkenny this year with Samuel McCabe and Michelle Kenny flying the flag for Carlow.
Local Councillor Maria Dollard’s daughter Lucy represented Ireland in the 2019 games.
She says it’s a huge thing for the athletes and their families because of the way it’s set up:
“It’s a fantastic movement and the best part about them, is there’s a place for everybody in Special Olympics. It’s not who is the fastest in the traditional sense that we see sport. There is a competition for everybody that participates in Special Olympics, so people are divided into a range of, let’s say if it’s swimming or running, a range of times that they can compete in. So you get a decent competition with your peers.”
