Host China will send its largest delegation to the upcoming 12th
Special Olympics Summer World Games in Shanghai from October
2-11.
The squad includes 1,713 athletes and coaches from 31 provinces,
autonomous regions and municipalities across the country. They will
participate in all of the 21 sports and four demonstration
events.
Special Olympics athletes should be at least eight years old,
have an IQ lower than 70 and take part in sports activities no less
than eight weeks a year.
The athletes in the delegation have been selected according to
their performance at the recent National Special Olympic Games.
"It's all about participation not competition. We want athletes
from different backgrounds to attend their biggest festival in
Shanghai," Special Olympics China President Wang Zhijun said.
Since 1987, China has sent delegations to summer and winter
Special Olympics World Games. The size of the Chinese delegation
has increased at each event.
"We are trying to introduce more sports to Chinese Special
Olympics athletes, such as equestrianism, softball, sailing and
cricket," Zhao Sujing, deputy director of the Chinese delegation,
said.
China has about 10 million people with intellectual
disabilities.
In 28 major cities around the country, some 5,000 Special
Olympics communities have been set up involving 600,000
athletes.
In 2002, Shanghai won the bid to host the 2007 Games, making
China the first Asian country and the first developing nation to
host them. They are set to attract more than 10,000 athletes and
coaches from 160 countries and regions.
Many athletes and their families will also get the chance to
stay with Chinese families in 12 cities.
(China Daily September 22, 2007)