Team Special Olympics Germany (Team SOD) is ready: 414 athletes will compete for medals and successes at the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, athletes from fifteen states will participate in 25 of a total of 26 sports for Germany.
To wear the national colors at one of the biggest sporting events in the world, to represent Germany in competition with international athletes – that is the goal of many ambitious athletes.
For 414 Special Olympics athletes from Germany, this dream will become reality next year. Then they will compete for Team SOD at the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin.
"It was a big surprise that I will be part of it and I am very happy. After Los Angeles, this is the second time I will be at the World Games," says table tennis athlete Katrin Kerkau.
The team of 414 athletes includes 58 Unified partners. In Unified Sports®, a form of competition organized by Special Olympics, people with disabilities and people without disabilities compete together.
When the nominations were announced at a press event in Berlin, there were a number of athletes present who were delighted and surprised, and the jubilation was correspondingly great. They presented their sports powerlifting, Unified table tennis and football for media representatives.
The complete list of nominees is available in German here.
Facts about Team SOD
- 414 athletes in 25 sports, including 58 Unified partners
- 128 coaches
- The biggest sports: 55 athletes in soccer, 40 each in basketball and futsal and 36 in handball.
- The smallest sports: 4 athletes in sailing and 2 in gymnastics.