A contingent of 18 people left St. Vincent on Wednesday for Trinidad and Tobago to participate in the inaugural Special Olympics Regional Beach Games.
Vincentian athletes and coaches have been training hard in preparation for the first-ever games of its kind held in the region.
The games take place from Friday to Sunday as 14 countries unite in the spirit of sports, fun and inclusion
This historic regional event will bring together some 130 athletes, 70 coaches, and delegates from Special Olympics programmes across the Caribbean and North America to compete in a variety of beach sports, including aquathlon, beach bocce, beach soccer, beach volleyball and open water swimming, at venues in both Trinidad and Tobago.
Sezevra Joseph, head of delegation and national director of Special Olympics St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SO SVG), said:
“I believe that the athletes will do their best in each of the sporting activities. They have been training, which is important to get them ready for competition. This is the first Caribbean Initiative Caribbean Beach Games and we expect great competition.”
Joseph also used the opportunity to encouraged SVG to become more involved with Special Olympics.
“It is also important for businesses and the wider community to get involved and support our athlete as they do have a lot to contribute to the society,” she said.
The event is facilitated by Special Olympics T&T, with the Digicel Foundation as one of its main sponsors, contributing $135,000.