2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games
Seven Hoosier Athletes, one Unified Partner, three Coaches and one Staff member represented the United States at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games, October 2-11 in The People’s Republic of China, in the city of Shanghai. Team USA consisted of 399 athletes and 150 coaches and management team members. Team USA competed in 14 of 25 sports, including Athletics, Aquatics, Basketball, Bocce, Bowling, Cycling, Equestrian, Golf, Artistic & Rhythmic Gymnastics, Powerlifting, Roller Skating, Softball, Tennis, and Volleyball.
Special Olympics athlete Katie Crawford, Indianapolis, and Kokomo Police Department Patrol Officer Troy Hintz took part in the Final Leg of the torch relay run by members of the Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics.
This was the third time the Special Olympics World Games took place outside of the United States and the second Special Olympics World Games ever to be held in Asia. Approximately 165 countries came together to compete in the event, the largest sporting event in the world in 2007. Nearly 7,500 athletes, 3,000 coaches, 28,000 family members and friends and 100,000 spectators arrived in Shanghai to celebrate and be a part of the Games.
The award of the bid for the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games followed the Chinese government's introduction of a historic policy mandating the success of Special Olympics China's five-year Plan for Growth to attract 500,000 new Special Olympics athletes by 2005.
2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games
Five Special Olympics Indiana Athletes competed in the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Nagano, Japan — the first Special Olympics World Games to be held in Asia. In addition, Special Olympics Indiana sent a Volunteer Coach, a Staff member, an Athlete Official and a Volunteer Official to serve at the 2005 World Games.
In all, more than 2,500 Special Olympics athletes, 650 coaches and thousands of families, volunteers, spectators and journalists from across the globe attended the event. Athletes of all ability levels competed in Alpine Skiing, Cross Country Skiing, Snowshoeing, Figure Skating, Floor Hockey, Snowboarding and Speed Skating. Events took place February 26 - March 5, 2005, at seven sports venues previously used for the 1998 Winter Olympic Games. See who went to Nagano!
Major factors that led to the selection of Japan as the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games site were Nagano's climate and geography, its outstanding Olympic athletic facilities, the tremendous efforts of Japan's Bid Committee and the potential for growth of the Special Olympics program in Japan.
2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games
Dublin, Ireland was the site for the 11th Special Olympics World Summer Games—the first World Summer Games to be held outside of the United States. Nearly 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches participated in the event from June 21 - 29, 2003.
Special Olympics Indiana was proud to claim 19 Athletes, two Unified Partners and six Coaches as representatives to Team USA in Athletics, Basketball, Bowling, Golf and Powerlifting. Nine hundred athletes and Unified Partners and 285 coaches participated for Team USA at the 2003 World Summer Games.
Past World Games
Nineteen Special Olympics World Games have been hosted by cities around the world in North America, Asia and Europe. In 1987, South Bend, Indiana, was the proud host of the International Special Olympics Summer Games. Learn more about past World Games.