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With the participation of 1,200 participants, 12 sports and representatives from seven countries Special Olympics Denmark Sports Festival 2024 He set a new standard for sporting excellence. From May 24 to 26, the picturesque city of Frederikshavn in northern Denmark held the largest multi-sport event for highly skilled athletes. Intellectual disabilities In the northern region.
Now at 9y Edition, the festival included competitions in Athletics, Badminton, Bocce game, Bowling, Riding, Globe, soccer, Golf, Gymnastics, handball, swimming And table tennis. Although this event is classified as the Special Olympics Denmark National Games, it also attracted a large number of international competitors from Denmark Special Olympics Finland, Special Olympics Faroe Islands, Special Olympics Germany, Special Olympics Iceland, Special Olympics Norway And Special Olympics Swedenwho played against and alongside their Danish counterparts.
“Our hope is that this type of event will inspire people to take up sports,” commented Søren Juul Christensen, National Director of Special Olympics Denmark.
“Focusing on training them before the event, inspiring them to continue training when they return home, and inspiring new people to start the project.
“We try to hold our National Games in different locations in Denmark every year. We hope to leave a legacy that will see more sports for people with disabilities locally, and more attention towards the target group.
Beyond the sport, high expectations are placed on health as an important aspect of the event’s legacy.
Statistics reveal that the lifespan of people with intellectual disabilities in Denmark is on average 20 years younger than that of the general population. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Healthy Athletes Program will play a major role in the Special Olympics Denmark 2024 Festival.
Arena Nord, the event’s main hub, hosted four Healthy athletes in Special Olympics Specialties: FUNFitness, Health promotion, Special smiles And Open eyes.
Birgitte Hansen, Mayor of Frederikshavn, showed great enthusiasm when attending the Healthy Athletes program and shared her commitment to improving medical standards for residents with intellectual disabilities. She stressed the importance of providing a wide range of services covering different fields such as nutrition, dentistry, optometry, and mental health.
“We have a responsibility that will not end when these Games end. We must be more aware (of the needs of people with disabilities when it comes to) mental and physical health as a society. We share this responsibility with every individual, their family, their friends, and the people who work with and for them.
Mayor Hansen also expressed her pride and joy in hosting such an important event in Frederikshavn, saying: “We are not a particularly wealthy municipality, but we are really trying to create new opportunities for people with disabilities, and we can always do more. Hosting an event (like this) comes at a cost, But as with many questions in life, it is a matter of priorities.
Peter Larsen, a Danish Special Olympics handball player from Frederikshavn, was beaming with pride and joy as he took on the role of torch runner. The once-in-a-lifetime honor of representing his country and city at the National Games was deeply meaningful to the young handball champion, who proudly wore a shining bronze medal around his neck.
“I feel proud and happy. I had been looking forward to (that moment) for a long time. When I ran into the hall with the torch, all the people were standing. It was very emotional. I will always remember that.”
“I cried and Peter cried. “It was very emotional,” his coach Tove Malmberg added. Tears almost flow at the mere memory of that moment, and it is a runner-up for the title of “Best Moment” of the event in Peter’s book. The handball champion helped his team win with a goal at the last minute during extra time in the final, ensuring it was his best moment.
“Winning today’s match is the best memory of these games,” says an overjoyed Peter. “The tournament was very intense and exciting. It is amazing to be part of a team and win together because everyone is working for each other.
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