The 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games are currently on at Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The event which started on 14 Mar, will continue till Thu, 21 Mar, 2019. The multi-sport event is for athletes with intellectual disabilities. The events are being held at nine venues across Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The special Olympics feature 24 sporting disciplines: athletics, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, bocce, bowling, cycling, equestrian, football, golf, gymnastics (artistic and rhythmic), handball, judo, kayaking, open water swimming, powerlifting, roller skating, sailing, swimming, table tennis, tennis and volleyball.
From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, there are 170 countries participating in the special games. As many as 7000 athletes are competing for medals in the various sporting disciplines. Thousands of volunteers from the Emirates from various ages, backgrounds and nationalities have offered their time and effort to make the event a success.
The games are being held in Abu Dhabi (Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, the Abu Dhabi Sailling and Yacht Club, Al Forsan Resort, Corniche, Yas Links Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Yas Marina Circuit and Zayed Sports City) and in Dubai (at the Dubai Police Club Stadium and the Hamdan Sports Complex). They are a part of the Year of Tolerance which enshrines the spirit of inclusion and unity; helping raise awareness for those with disabilities and to build bridges with people of other nations and cultures.
Athletes representing the UAE had won 126 medal by the end of Tuesday, 19 March 2019. This included 41 gold, 37 silver and 48 bronze medals. According to Special Olympics UAE national director Talal Al Hashemi, UAE special athletes could win more medals before the end of the games on the 21st.
UAE athletes did well in swimming, with Omar Sharif Al Shami winning gold in 25-metre breaststroke and Saif Saleh Al Ali taking the gold medal in 25-metre freestyle.
UAE athletes also did well in equestrian, with riders such as Fatima Mashabek, Waleed Khalid Ahmed, Mohammad Zubair Al Tajer, Basma El Ghassin and Sultan Al Khyelli winning in various categories.
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