Austria's stars of the Special Olympics: medals for inclusion and sport!

Austria's stars of the Special Olympics: medals for inclusion and sport!

The anticipation for the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin is palpable! From March 8th to 15th, 2025, an impressive team of 40 athletes from Austria will compete on the international stage. This event is not only a major sporting event, but also a symbol of inclusion and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities. The Austrian Lotteries have accompanied this event since Special Olympics Austria was founded in 1993 and keep their fingers crossed for the team with best wishes for medals and sporting successes ots.at reported.

The athletes of the year 2024 also received special recognition in this series: speed skater Veronika Kaube from Styria and skier Simon Berchtold from Vorarlberg were recently honored with the “NIKI” award at the LOTTERIEN Sporthilfe gala in Vienna. This honor is not only an award for their outstanding achievements, but also a significant step towards greater visibility and appreciation for the Special Olympics movement in Austria. Kaube, who has been active since 2006, has already celebrated numerous successes in her career, including three medals at the 2024 National Winter Games, while Berchtold was able to hold her own in the super-G and giant slalom specialolympics.at highlighted.

An inclusive sports festival of superlatives

With over 1,500 athletes from more than 100 nations, Turin will be the setting for a unique sports festival. The first International Games in 1968 only included two countries, but today it shows how far the Special Olympics movement has come. The Austrian Lotteries' commitment to promoting sport in Austria, coupled with the passion of the participants, will be the focus in Turin. The entire sports community is looking forward to the arrival of the athletes and the upcoming competitions, where the spirit of fairness and respect will be visible.