After pandemic pause, Special Olympics Winter Games give hundreds the chance to compete again

“I didn’t really know what figure skating was. I took on the challenge to say yes. Ever since then, I’ve been a figure skater. And I’ve competed in two world games for winter — one of them in South Korea, the other in Austria.” Pang says.

The competition gives athletes a chance to play and compete at a highly organized level. The competition can serve as an important stepping stone for athletes aiming for larger events and national teams. Speed Skater Paige Norton has also been around the world playing her sport for the Canadian national team.

“I’ve been to Boise, Idaho, Newfoundland, Quebec City. Then I went to Austria, and then the other one was Russia, but we didn’t even go because it was cancelled and postponed there.” Norton says, expressing her frustration at the cancellation of the international Special Olympics.

Between cancellations due to the Ukraine War and the pandemic, many athletes have not been given a chance to compete until now. The president of the BC Special Olympics, Dan Howe, is happy to see the athletes getting the opportunity.

“For so many of our athletes, they’ve been excluded from sport, they’ve been excluded from the community. They haven’t been able to take part in things, so when you come to an event like this all the athletes have been training with their coaches. It’s not a drop-in event. They’ve been training for years,” Howe states.

Events will run until Saturday, February 4.

by Noah Rishaug

After pandemic pause, Special Olympics Winter Games give hundreds the chance to compete again

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