Around 800 athletes from 60 schools across Punjab and neighboring states are participating in the 25th Punjab State Special Olympics Games and the inaugural North Zone Special Olympics Games, which commenced at Guru Nanak Public School in Sarabha Nagar on Friday.
The three-day event, organised by Special Olympics Bharat Punjab in collaboration with the District Special Olympics Association, Ludhiana, will feature competitions in bocce, track events, and shot put, and will conclude on December 15.
Deputy commissioner Jitendar Jorwal graced the event as the chief guest. Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan also attended the event.
Addressing the participants, Sandhwan emphasised the importance of such events in providing athletes with a platform to showcase their skills. “These children, who possess unique abilities, truly deserve a life filled with love, care, and opportunities.”
The opening ceremony also saw the felicitation of several athletes who excelled at the Asia Pacific Special Olympics in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Athletes Himanshu Wadhwa, Rohit Kumar, Marina, and Ankita were recognised for their outstanding performances.
Among the highlights of the event was the 100m dash (male), where Sarabjeet Singh from The Holistic Growth, Mohali, clinched first place. Karanpreet Singh from SSA Sri Fatehgarh Sahib secured second, while Abhishek from SOB Chandigarh came third.
{{/usCountry}}Among the highlights of the event was the 100m dash (male), where Sarabjeet Singh from The Holistic Growth, Mohali, clinched first place. Karanpreet Singh from SSA Sri Fatehgarh Sahib secured second, while Abhishek from SOB Chandigarh came third.
{{/usCountry}}In the 50m dash (male), Vivek Sharma from Atma Sukh, Hoshiarpur won first place, with Sabi from BPS, Amritsar, and Euro from Chaanan Vocational, Jalandhar, finishing second and third, respectively.