ShareKUWAIT: The year 2023 witnessed many activities which the Special Olympics organized and participated in, specially that this year that came as life in sports activities were restored following Corona pandemic, most notable was the participation in the Summer International Games, held in Berlin, Germany with the participation of 7,000 players, representing 190 countries, where Kuwait won 7 gold medals, 10 silver, 4 bronze, that in addition to 2 fourth place, 3 fifth place, 3 sixth place, 2 seventh place and 1 eight place.
The Berlin achievement received high level appreciation by Kuwait leadership by the reception of HH the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (then the Crown Prince) at Bayan Palace of the Special Olympics athletes in the presence of Al-Sheikha Sheikha Al-Abdullah, Chairman of Tomooh Sports Jassim Al-Nouri, founder of Tomooh Club, National Director of Kuwait Special Olympics Rihab Buresli and Tomooh members of the board, as they presented to HH the Amir the winning athletes in Berlin.
The year 2023 was a year that witnessed major activities in implementing the sports, health programs and initiatives of the Special Olympics at the local, regional and international levels.
The year started with the athletics games for the mentally challenged athletes, sponsored by the Public Authority for Sport with the participation of 67 players from 14 clubs, schools and institutions, and competitions were according to international rules as the GMS system was used for the first time in managing competitions and players classifications.
The Special Olympics organized the 6th Kuwait local Bowling tournament within the sports inclusion of the disabled with 40 players of both genders participating. It also organized Kuwait 3rd Bocce Tournament with 100 players participating.
Special Olympics, in cooperation with Tomooh Sports Club for mental disabilities organized the awareness health sport program “Your health is your step” during the holy month of Ramadan. The program was about counting the number of steps the athlete makes during the competition through the use of (Mi Band 5) watch, that in addition to measuring the muscle, and fat mass as well as the weight and height of each competitor before the start of the program. The daily walk included 10 thousand steps in one hour, then physical fitness exercises for half an hour.
Activities included a sports health day with the American Army in Araifjan camp that included sports activities as part of the Special Olympics preparations for the world games.
Sports activities of 2023 were concluded by organizing the first walking and running race for the mentally challenged on the occasion of The Disabled World Day of December 3 each year under the sponsorship of Zain company. “Initiatives of strengthening the rights and empowering the disabled”
As part of the societal mission to protect the rights of the disabled and to go along world development in empowering them the initiatives program organized, in cooperation with Kuwait society for the Disabled Guardians, several training workshops with the participation of institutions, schools and societies concerned with the disabled affairs as well as several activists, guardians and coaches from Kuwait Tomooh Club most notable was the workshop of the mechanism of monitoring the implementation of the International treaty for the disabled rights, and how to write reports for the UN committee concerned with the disabled rights at Kuwait National Library, as well as the simplified reading workshop at Nisf Essa Al-Asfour in Qadisiya area.
National Director of Kuwait Special Olympics Rihab Buresli was pleased with the success of Kuwait Special Olympics in organizing those various activities, which reflect the distinguished level and solid base the Kuwait Special Olympics is now enjoying.
She said Special Olympics will continue its hard work to take the sport and health care of the mentally challenged to new levels, and thanked Tomooh Sports Club, the official representative of Kuwait Special Olympics.
She also thanked the Regional Special Olympics and its President Eng. Ayman Abdulwahab, Public Authority for Sport and all ministries and state entities that contributed to the success of Kuwait Special Olympics activities.
