50 days to go!

27 April 2023 – Today, marks 50 days to go until the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin. 

To celebrate the occasion His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia and Mrs Hurley hosted a reception at Admiralty House in Sydney.

It was a great celebration for athletes, volunteer officials and families who saw Their Excellencies present the first official Team Australia uniform.

The Governor-General also gave a rousing speech in which he wished the athletes well for the Games.

“Good on you for being prepared to challenge yourselves on the world stage. All of us here today wish you well in Berlin and a proud nation will be cheering you on”, the Governor-General said.

Special Olympics Australia Ambassadors, Peter Overton and Daria Varlamova also joined the celebrations and shared their support for the team.

The World Games will the largest and most inclusive sporting event on the planet this year with 7,000 athletes with an intellectual disability from 190 delegations.

Team Australia will be represented by 64 athletes who will compete across nine sports – athletics, basketball, bocce, bowling, golf, equestrian, gymnastics, swimming, tennis.

Over 96% of the athletes will wear the green and gold to represent Australia for the first time.

They will be supported by 28 volunteer officials – the team behind the team – who will ensure that they can perform at their best and have a great Games experience.

The nine days of competition will run from 17-25 June 2023, beginning with a spectacular Opening Ceremony where the Aussie team will march proudly into the stadium ready to show the world their sporting prowess. 

Follow their progress on our Facebook page.

Click here to view the official photos from the Admiralty House reception.