Not only the pursuit of gold medals, but also the pursuit of dreams, 110% genuine feelings, sincere encouragement from others and rejoicing in successes. Special Olympics competition has a lot in common with sports for the disabled, but there are also differences.
One of the basic principles of Special Olympics is that all people with intellectual disabilities should have the opportunity to play sports and strive for success, regardless of the severity of the disability or other limitations. In the Special Olympics held every four years, this is ensured by the level classification performed at the beginning of the event.
Competitions are held within each level-classified division. This makes it possible for athletes with severe developmental disabilities to experience success and strive for medals. “Sports belongs to everyone”, is the motto of many Finnish representative athletes. About 7,000 athletes from nearly 200 countries participate in the competitions.
Hard training and strict goals
Most of the members of the team called Suomen Sisujengi are young adults. They practice their own sports alongside work or study in a goal-oriented way, often almost every day. One of the heroes of the Finnish team is a 23-year-old rhythmic gymnast from Espoo Saga Hänninen. Known as a conscientious and unyielding trainee, Hänninen has managed to gather a lot of international competition experience and success despite his young age.
– Winning and being satisfied with his own performance, summarizes Hänninen’s goals in Berlin.
Although everyone would like to return home with a gold medal around their neck, for many, simply getting to the Games is the fulfillment of big dreams. from Vantaa Inka Kolhinoja used to ride horses. As an adult, the swimming skill achieved as a result of hard work made me change my sport completely and now Jani Sievinen forty-year-old Kolhinoja, who is training in coaching, represents Finland as part of the Finnish Special Olympics national swimming team.
– I have been waiting for this for eight years. It has been my dream for a long time to wear Finland’s representative swimsuit at the Special Olympics, and in Berlin it will finally happen. This is a really big deal for me, Kolhinoja sums up visibly happy.
Of the Finnish athletes, 51 are mentally disabled and 14 are unified partners. Some of the sports of the Special Olympics, such as football, basketball, beach volleyball and sailing, include the so-called unified competition format. In unified sports, athletes with intellectual disabilities and non-disabled partners play side by side in the same teams.
The starting point of Unified sports is inclusion, i.e. the idea that there is no difference, but that all people are equal. Partner athletes must not dominate competitive events, but participate as equal partners. If, for example, an uninjured athlete scores too many goals or throws one basket after another, the judges intervene.
Although the competitions of the Special Olympics event are primarily aimed at athletes with intellectual disabilities, inclusion and making people with intellectual disabilities and their issues visible play an important role in the entire Special Olympics operation.
It is definitely worth following the competitions and especially the individual competitors and teams and getting to know them. Unfortunately, understanding diversity and appreciating people who differ from the mainstream population in some way is not always a given. The Special Olympics are a concrete example that change for the better is underway and each of us can influence what tomorrow will be like.
is there in Berlin to follow the competitions from 17 to 25.6. A documentary about the event will be shown on TV2 on Sunday 9 July. 4:35 p.m.: “Special Olympics – the world’s most special sports party”
The Finnish team, Sisugengi, for the Special Olympics summer world championships in BerlinGolf
ATHLETES
Ville Lipsanen, Savonlinna (club: Kerigolf)
Oskari Rantanen, Hämeenlinna (Tawast Golf)
Wivan Atrila, Kirkkonummi (Gumböle Golf)
Jere Suominen, Masku (Kankainen Golf)
Bowling
ATHLETES
Ukko Törmänen, Rovaniemi (Ounas-Keila)
Elmeri Haukikari, Turku (TPS Bowlers)
Johanna Koskinen, Oulu (Laaki)
Iina Lumiala, Tampere (Seiskat)
Athletics
ATHLETES
Nea Tilli, Janakkala (Janakkalan Jana)
Carola Pihlajamäki, Helsinki (Helsinki Kisa-Veikot)
Ville Pere, Nokia (Nokia Athletes)
Tuomo Ringman, Seinäjoki (Seinäjoki Region Athletes)
Swimming
ATHLETES
Tatu Kantonen, Turku (Raisio Athletes)
Inka-Johanna Kolhinoja, Vantaa (Helsingfors Simsällskap)
Jenny Kukkonen, Oulu (Oulu Salmon)
Andreas Lindqvist, Kokkola (Kokkola Swimming Club – Gamlakarleby Simsällskap)
Judo
ATHLETES
Markus Vainio, Masku (Raisio Ryhti)
Jusa Jokiniemi, Kuopio (Judo club Sakura)
Alina Skog, Porvoo (Shirokawa)
Sanna-Maarit Tapaninen, Lahti (Lahti Judo Club)
Petra Kujansuu, Pori (Fudoshin of Pori)
Kayaking
ATHLETES
Anni Aalto, Tampere (Vihuri of Tampere)
Minna Palonen, Hämeenlinna (Vanajavesi Vesikot)
Jesse Honkonen, Espoo (Vanajavesi Vesikot)
Matti Hämäläinen, Nastola/Lahti (Water cleaners)
Tennis
ATHLETE
Tommi Tyynilä, Helsinki (Open Tennis Club)
Rhythmic gymnastics
ATHLETES
Tuulikki Jauhiainen, Helsinki (Sport Club Vantaa)
Katariina Friman, Hyvinkää (Sport Club Vantaa)
Veera Luhtanen, Jalasjärvi/Kurikka (Seinäjoki Gymnasts)
Saga Hänninen, Espoo (Sport Club Vantaa)
Riding
ATHLETES
Sara Ristimäki, Korpilahti/Jyväskylä (Korpilahti Riders)
Ilona Koskinen, Espoo (Helsinki Wiisikot)
Toomas Lahtinen, Vihti (Equestrians of the Manor)
Klaus Müller, Espoo (Riders of the Manor)
Unified sailing
ATHLETES
Toivo Laiho, Lahti (Lahti Sailing Club)
Bea Westerstråhle, Espoo (Helsingfors Segelklubb)
PARTNERS
Roope Tervonen, Helsinki (Lahti Sailing Club)
Mari Aarnio, Helsinki (Seafarers)
Unified basketball
ATHLETES
Iida Kivisaari, Hyvinkää (PuHu Juniors)
Tiia Lehto, Espoo (Tapiola Honka)
Lotta Näppi, Pirkkala (Pyrintö to Tampere)
Nasra Osman, Vantaa (PuHu Juniors)
Heidi Sillanpää, Helsinki (PuHu Juniors)
Nette Tuominen, Vantaa (PuHu Juniors)
PARTNERS
Emma Kivistö, Tampere (BC Nokia)
Elli Marjanen, Vantaa (PuHu Juniors)
Veera Sääski, Helsinki (Tapiola Honka)
Iina Takala, Helsinki (PuHu Juniors)
Unified football
ATHLETES
Sandra Ramberg, Järvenpää (Järvenpää Football Club)
Julia Niska, Rovaniemi (Rovaniemi Ball Club)
Melina Mäkimartti, Rovaniemi (Rovaniemi Ball Club)
Kia Linturi, Vantaa (Koivukylän Football Club)
Janette Teerenmaa, Lahti (FC Kuusysi)
Wilma Torni, Helsinki (FC Kontu)
PARTNERS
Jenni Summanen, Turku (Kaarina’s Boys)
Iida Äijö, Karjaa (Ekenäs IF)
Sanna Koskinen, Tampere (Ekenäs IF)
Pihla Jokinen, Turku (Kaarina’s Boys)
Felicia Gröning, Tammisaari (Ekenäs IF)
Unified beach volleyball
ATHLETES
Mika Ahonen, Tampere (Beach Volley Tampere)
Heikki Töyrylä, Lahti (Lahti Kortteliiga)
Saku Suikkanen, Salo (Salon Message)
PARTNERS
Jukka Lehti, Koski Tl (Kosken Echo)
Kalle Tolvanen, Lahti (Lahti Quarter League)
Janne Sikiö, Tampere (Beach Volley Tampere)
Team management
Team leader Timo Pelkonen, Pirkkala
Assistant team leader Anni Lindeman, Jyväskylä
2nd assistant team leader Julia Fonsén, Tampere
Spokesman Lauri Jaakkola, Vantaa
Doctor Henri Karvinen, Jyväskylä
Interior gang in numbers
13 species
65 athletes
51 athletes with intellectual disabilities
14 Unified partners
37 World Cup debutants
41 women
24 men
27 coaches
18 female coaches
9 male coaches
5 members of the team management
97 people in total
Competition pages: berlin2023.org/en