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2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games

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16th Special Olympics World Summer Games
16. Special Olympics Weltspiele
Host cityBerlin, Germany
Motto#UnbeatableTogether
(German: #ZusammenUnschlagbar)
Nations178
Athletes6,500
Events26 Sports
Opening17 June
Closing25 June
Opened byFrank-Walter Steinmeier
Torch lighterSophie Rensmann [de]
Main venueOlympiapark Berlin
WebsiteOfficial website
Summer
Winter

The 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games, officially known as the XVI Special Olympic World Games or Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023 (German: Special Olympics Weltspiele 2023), was the 16th summer Special Olympics. Held in Berlin, Germany, the Special Olympics lasted nine days, from 17 to 25 June 2023.[1] It marked the first time that Germany has hosted the Special Olympics World Games.[2] About 6,500 athletes and unified partners from approximately 178 countries competed in 26 sports, supported by 3,000 coaches and 18,000 volunteers.[3]

Host selection

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The bid process was opened in November 2017.[4] Berlin, Germany was selected as the host city on 13 November 2018 at the Global Athlete Congress in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.[5] On 30 January 2020, Berlin was officially confirmed as the host city for the games.[6]

Venues

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Events took place in fifteen venues:[7]

The Games

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Ceremonies

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Opening ceremony

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Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony was held at the Olympiastadion on 17 June 2023. President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier opened the games officially. Special Olympics chairman Timothy Shriver, German chancellor Olaf Scholz, Mayor of Berlin Kai Wegner, and former Olympic athletes Dirk Nowitzki and Felix Neureuther also took part in the ceremony. The torch was lit by Special Olympic tennis player Sophie Rensmann. Blue Man Group took part in a couple musical performances during the ceremony.

Closing ceremony

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The closing ceremony was held on Straße des 17. Juni in front of the Brandenburg Gate on 25 June 2023.

Sports

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Competitions were held in the following 26 sports:[8]

2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games

Basketball 3x3 made its debut at the Special Olympics and Field Hockey was featured as a demonstration sport.

Medals

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The top three finishers of each competition were honored with gold, silver and bronze medals, while the fourth to eighth place finishers received ribbons with their placement printed on them. More than 4000 medals and 6600 placement ribbons were presented at 1,334 award ceremonies.[9]

Medal table

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Unlike the Olympic and Paralympic Games the Special Olympics do not provide an official medal table, since there is supposed to be no competitive pressure among the nations. Apart from the medals and placement ribbons, participants who were disqualified or did not finish their competition were also awarded with participation ribbons in order to promote sportsmanship.[10][11][12]

  *   Host nation (Germany)

Medals won by participating delegations
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Germany*797296247
2 China563627119
3 Great Britain493618103
4 Canada46202995
5 India414625112
6 Hong Kong39251276
7 Belgium34291780
8 United States324533110
9 Hungary30261672
10 Bangladesh254534
11 Greece24152463
12 Italy23292476
13 Costa Rica23283788
14 Switzerland23221055
15 South Korea23211660
16 Finland23181354
17 Ireland22193071
18 Lithuania2211437
19 United Arab Emirates19212666
20 Romania1818743
21 Puerto Rico18171247
22 Netherlands17162861
23 Paraguay17141243
24 Norway16221250
25 Egypt16132251
26 Chinese Taipei16131039
27 Malta1611532
28 Poland15261657
29 Australia15222663
30 Macau1512835
31 Kenya154625
32 Iceland14161343
33 Sweden1471233
34 Austria13161645
35 Mexico1381132
36 Venezuela11121639
37 Pakistan10201848
38 Slovakia10161339
39 Spain10131538
40 Thailand1011526
41 Kazakhstan10101434
42 South Africa109726
43 Israel108826
44 Indonesia105823
45 Ivory Coast105621
46 Denmark9191543
47 Estonia9141336
48 Japan971026
49 Jamaica95418
50 Cyprus814931
51 Czech Republic812626
52 Portugal811827
53 Saudi Arabia861024
54 Monaco86519
55 Dominican Republic84214
56 El Salvador715931
57 Ecuador7111129
58 Kuwait79420
59 Syria781025
60 Brazil78924
61 Libya76922
62 Serbia76619
63 Panama74819
64 Jordan731020
65 Palestine72211
66 Oman691429
67 Slovenia68418
68 Bulgaria65920
69 Bolivia65617
70 Azerbaijan641323
71 Chile64414
72 Bahrain62311
 Malawi62311
74 Singapore62210
75 New Zealand5171234
76 Uzbekistan5131432
77 Guatemala510722
78 France591125
79 Ukraine59721
80 Colombia59620
81 Trinidad and Tobago57820
82 Gibraltar57416
83 Luxembourg55717
84 Faroe Islands55515
85 Honduras53614
86 Saint Kitts and Nevis5038
87 Burkina Faso46515
88 Malaysia45918
89 Morocco45312
90 Isle of Man441018
91 Iraq44412
92 Latvia4329
93 Nauru4228
94 Philippines4116
95 Uruguay312924
96 Fiji36615
97 San Marino36312
98 Peru36211
99 Argentina35210
100 Tunisia3519
101 Senegal34512
102 Andorra33511
103 Cuba3328
104 Benin32712
105 Iran3159
106 Zambia3115
107 Georgia3014
108 Mongolia26614
109 Mauritius26513
110 Suriname251320
111 Turkmenistan25411
112 Botswana2417
113 Cayman Islands23813
114 Lebanon23510
115 Seychelles2259
116 Zimbabwe2248
117 Liechtenstein2237
118 Aruba2226
 Curaçao2226
120 Uganda2215
121 Bermuda21710
122 East Timor2125
 Turkey2125
124 Bhutan2103
 Bonaire2103
126 Croatia2046
127 Maldives2013
128 Armenia2002
 Tajikistan2002
130 Nicaragua1427
131 Guadeloupe1258
132 Albania1225
 Haiti1225
 North Macedonia1225
135 Guyana1214
 Namibia1214
137 Bosnia and Herzegovina1135
138 Kosovo1113
 Rwanda1113
 Vietnam1113
141 Antigua and Barbuda1023
142 Cameroon1001
 Guinea1001
 Mali1001
145 Algeria091019
146 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines0426
147 Dominica0415
148 Bahamas0314
149 Papua New Guinea0224
 South Sudan0224
151 Belize0213
 Qatar0213
153 Ghana0123
 Togo0123
155 Cambodia0112
 Lesotho0112
 Montenegro0112
 Samoa0112
159 DR Congo0101
 Laos0101
 Moldova0101
 Saint Lucia0101
163 Cape Verde0022
 Kyrgyzstan0022
 Palau0022
166 Eswatini0011
 Gambia0011
 Madagascar0011
 Tanzania0011
Totals (169 entries)1,3801,3631,3174,060
Source: [13]

Calendar

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All times and dates use Central European Summer Time (UTC+2)
OC Opening ceremony ● Event competitions 1 Gold medal events CC Closing ceremony
June 2023 June Events
17th
Sat 		18th
Sun 		19th
Mon 		20th
Tue 		21st
Wed 		22nd
Thu 		23rd
Fri 		24th
Sat 		25th
Sun
Ceremonies OC CC —
Aquatics Marathon swimming ● 5 5
Swimming ● ● 14 9 7 9 5 44
Athletics ● 12 34 19 15 10 6 1 97
Badminton ● ● ● 3 3 2 2 10
Basketball ● ● ● ● ● ● 4 4
Boccia ● ● 1 1 2 2 6
Bowling ● ● 9 2 1 1 1 14
Cycling ● ● 5 2 2 2 1 1 13
Equestrian ● 9 2 2 2 3 2 20
Field hockey ● ● ● ● ● ● 1 1
Football ● ● ● ● ● 2 2 4
Futsal ● ● ● ● 3 3
Golf ● ● ● 5 5
Artistic gymnastics ● 48 48
Rhythmic gymnastics ● 21 44 53 12 130
Handball ● ● ● ● ● ● 2 2
Judo ● ● 6 6 6 18
Kayaking ● 4 ● 5 9
Powerlifting 18 21 10 10 10 10 79
Roller skating ● ● 11 2 2 2 17
Sailing ● ● ● ● 3 3
Table tennis ● ● 2 2 2 2 8
Tennis ● ● ● ● ● 8 6 14
Beach volleyball ● ● ● ● ● ● 2 2
Volleyball ● ● ● ● ● ● 2 2
Daily medal events 21 79 156 64 58 58 113 4 553
Cumulative total 21 100 256 320 378 436 549 553 553
June 2023 17th
Sat 		18th
Sun 		19th
Mon 		20th
Tue 		21st
Wed 		22nd
Thu 		23rd
Fri 		24th
Sat 		25th
Sun 		Total events
June

Participating National Programs

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Below is a list of all 178 participating delegations. The number of competitors per delegation is indicated in parentheses.

Delegations to the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games

Marketing

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Logo, branding and slogan

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The logo and slogan were unveiled on December 14, 2021, at the Sky Deutschland studio. The emblem, which brings together solid colors and images of Berlin, was designed with the help of Special Olympics athletes. During a workshop, they shared their thoughts and feelings about the Games and inclusion. The list of feelings participants chose to be incorporated in the logo, which are represented by shapes and the five main logo colors, are joy, togetherness, excitement, pride and passion. Additionally, iconic symbols of Berlin are used to welcome athletes and visitors to the city. The Berlin Bear, in green, can be found on the city's coat of arms. Logo designers also felt it was important to honor Berlin's ability to overcome a past of separation and isolation after the city was divided at the end of World War II. The Brandenburg Gate, in red, and Fernsehturm Tower, in fuchsia, celebrate a unified city and Berlin as the capital of one Germany. Overall, the logo was created to evoke a sense of unity, diversity, playfulness and connection. The slogan #UnbeatableTogether or in German #ZusammenUnschlagbar represents Togetherness and overcoming borders collectively are main elements of the logo.[24]

References

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  1. ^ "Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023". SpecialOlympics.org. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
  2. ^ "Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023 / 17 to 24 June". Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
  3. ^ "The Berlin 2023 Games are over". berlin2023.org. 25 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Global search for 2023 Special Olympics World Games host begins". aipsmedia.com. 13 November 2017.
  5. ^ "Berlin, Germany selected to host the 2023 Special Olympics World Games". Special Olympics. 13 November 2018.
  6. ^ "Special Olympics Confirms Berlin as Host of 2023 World Games". Special Olympics. 30 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Our Venues for #Berlin2023". Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Our Sports". berlin2023.org.
  9. ^ "The Berlin 2023 Games are over". berlin2023.org. 25 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Special Olympics: Verlieren nicht möglich". ZDF.de (in German). 2023-06-20.
  11. ^ "Wieso die Special Olympics World Games ohne Medaillenspiegel auskommen". Die Rheinpfalz (in German). 2023-06-15.
  12. ^ "Special Olympics: Wegen zu guter Leistung disqualifiziert". Süddeutsche.de (in German). 2023-06-22. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
  13. ^ "Competition Schedule – Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023". results.specialolympics.org. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  14. ^ "Special Olympic Team To Compete In Berlin", Bernews
  15. ^ "Special Olympics Bharat", The Times of India
  16. ^ "255-member strong contingent to represent India at Special Olympics World Summer Games", sportstar.thehindu.com, 2023-06-05
  17. ^ "Award/Achievement". Special Olympics Indonesia. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  18. ^ "Iran to compete in Special Olympics World Games", TehranTimes
  19. ^ "Prezidentas išlydėjo Lietuvos rinktinę į specialiąją olimpiadą – į sportininkus kreipėsi lengvai suprantama kalba", sportas24.lt
  20. ^ Malasig, Jeline (16 May 2023). "Philippines to send six athletes to 2023 Special Olympics World Games". InterAksyon. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Romanian athletes compete in Special Olympics World Games in Berlin". Romania Insider. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  22. ^ "Team SA brings home 49 medals from the Special Olympics". kfm.co.za. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
  23. ^ Manaleng, Palesa. "Special Olympics World Games: Team SA medal tally at 49". ewn.co.za. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
  24. ^ "Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023 Logo Reveal". Special Olympics. 21 December 2021.
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