Annual Special Olympics Nevada Summer Games held this weekend in Reno

More than 300 Special Olympics athletes from across the state will converge this weekend in Reno for the annual Special Olympics Nevada (SONV) Summer Games. The torch was carried through Carson City Friday on its way to the games.

The Summer Games is SONV’s largest event of the year and features children and adults with intellectual disabilities competing in track and field, swimming and bocce. Athletes qualified for the Summer Games by earning a gold medal in their respective sport at regional competitions held in Southern and Northern Nevada earlier this month.

Along with a full day of competition on Saturday, the Summer Games weekend will include: a Healthy Athletes Pavilion on Friday, offering free health screenings to all athletes; the Opening Ceremony on Friday evening, complete with the Parade of Athletes, a Torch Run and special appearances by the Oakland Raiders; and the Athlete Dance on Saturday evening to celebrate a fun-filled weekend.

Summer Games Schedule:

Friday, May 31

Healthy Athletes Pavilion
11 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows – William N. Pennington Youth & Teen Facility (1300 Foster Dr.)

Special Olympics athletes will receive free health screenings in disciplines including Fit Feet, Special Smiles, Strong Minds, MedFest and FUNfitness. The health fair is open to all children and adults with intellectual disabilities in the area and is supported by Renown Health.

Opening Ceremony

7 p.m. | Reno High School Field

The Opening Ceremony officially kicks off the Summer Games and is full of excitement. Athletes are cheered on as they enter the stadium and this year’s event will feature a special appearance by the Oakland (soon to be Las Vegas) Raiders, entertainment, and the Torch Run by members of law enforcement to light the Special Olympics cauldron. The Opening Ceremony is sponsored by Knights of Columbus.

Saturday, June 1

Competitions

Track & Field
7:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Reno High School Field

Swimming
8 a.m. – 3 p.m. | UNR Lombardi Recreation Center Pool

Bocce Ball
8 – 11 a.m. | UNR John Sala Intramural Fields

Athlete Dance
7 p.m. | Outside lawn of Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center

The Opening Ceremony and all competitions on Saturday are open and free for the general public to cheer on the athletes. The SONV Summer Games is supported by Greater Nevada Credit Union and Greater Commercial Lending. Raley’s Supermarkets will donate lunches for the athletes on Saturday. SONV also thanks ITS Logistics. More information is available at www.SummerGamesNevada.com.

About Special Olympics Nevada

Special Olympics Nevada (SONV) is dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults with intellectual disabilities through inclusive sports, education and health. The 501(c)3 nonprofit organization offers free year-round training and competition programs for 3,253 athletes who compete in more than 60 competitions in 10 sports annually. On the playing field, SONV promotes inclusion through Unified Sports, bringing together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to play as teammates. On school campuses, SONV impacts more than 62,000 school-aged students by promoting inclusion through the Unified Champion Schools Program, which encourages Unified Sports, Inclusive Leadership programs and Whole School Engagement. SONV is also committed to improving the overall health and well-being of individuals with intellectual disabilities through Healthy Athletes events, offering health screenings and services free of charge. SONV relies on the support of 4,766 volunteers and funding from individuals, organizations, corporations and foundations. In 2018, SONV honored the 50-year anniversary of Special Olympics. More information may be found by visiting www.sonv.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @SONevada.