Sunday 09 / March / 2025
Muscat: Oman is participating in the 12th edition of the Special Olympics World Winter Games, "Turin 2025," held in Italy from 7 to 16 March. The Omani delegation comprises six athletes—both male and female—with intellectual disabilities and Down syndrome, accompanied by six coaches, three administrators, and a physician. The team will compete in snowshoe running, cross-country skiing, and speed skating.
Mohammed bin Salim Al-Rashdi, Chairman of the Omani Special Olympics Board, told the Oman News Agency that preparations for the games began with the selection of participants through skill assessments in winter sports, conducted by specialised coaches in snowshoe running and ice skating. Intensive tests and training sessions were also organised for the athletes.
He highlighted the inclusion of several new coaches, who are expected to continue training the athletes. Two coaches, Safwan Al-Balushi and Dalal Al-Busaidi, attended an external training course in Egypt in November 2024, focusing on snowshoe running and cross-country skiing.
The Winter Games will feature over 1,500 athletes from 102 countries with intellectual disabilities, competing in eight winter sports over nine days. These include alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice dancing, snowshoeing, and short-track speed skating.
Oman's Special Olympics team previously participated in the 2013 Winter Games in South Korea, winning four gold, three silver, and three bronze medals. They also competed in the 2017 Games in Austria, securing one gold, two silver, and one bronze medal.
