Special Olympians to Hold Workout Sessions at UC Riverside

Photo courtesy of Special Olympics

By City News Service

Nearly 350 Special Olympics athletes from Team USA will be on the UC Riverside campus next week, prepping for the world games in Los Angeles.

“The athletes of Special Olympics USA have been training for years for this moment -- for the opportunity to showcase their abilities on the biggest competitive stage they’ll ever experience,” said Team USA delegation spokesman Chris Hahn.

“We are very grateful to UCR for giving our athletes the training facilities they’ll need to prepare, the hospitality to make them feel welcome and comfortable, and the community support that will give them the confidence to go for the gold!”

The special Olympians will arrive Tuesday and begin their training sessions Wednesday morning, according to campus officials.

Athletes and their coaches will be on the quad, using the track and football fields, as well as the campus gymnasium and aquatics center, officials said.

Competitive events for which team members will be readying themselves include basketball, cycling, horseback riding, kayaking, powerlifting, soccer and volleyball.

At 4 p.m. Wednesday, the city of Riverside will host a “Parade of Champions” through the downtown area, featuring athletes and their coaches from Teams USA, Sweden and Portugal. There will be a color guard ceremony, marching bands and presentations by local officials.

The parade will get underway at 4 p.m. at Fifth and Main streets and conclude a few hours later in front of City Hall, at Ninth and Main.

Team USA’s workout sessions at UCR will conclude early Thursday afternoon, after which members will head to L.A., where opening ceremonies for the 2015 Special Olympics will be held Saturday at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

More than 6,500 athletes from 165 countries will be competing during the weeklong event, according to organizers.