Contact Coach Bert Wachlin for more information.

FACT SHEET

With more than 400,000 athletes in every U.S. Program and over 140 countries throughout the world, Special Olympics athletics is an internationally popular event. Athletes are grouped in divisions according to their ability level, age and gender. Athletics is the largest sport in Special Olympics with participation offered in every local program in the world.

Special Olympics athletics events range from the 100 Meter Dash to the Marathon, from hurdles and high jump to  shot put, long jump and relays. For athletes of lower ability there are walking events and throwing events, and for physically impaired athletes, wheelchair events and motorized wheelchair events.

Athletes also participate in Unified SportsŪ, including relays and marathon events. Unified SportsŪ allows athletes with and without mental disabilities to compete as one team, promoting teamwork and inclusion opportunities in a competitive sport event.

Athletics events were held at the first Special Olympics World Games in 1968. At the 1995 World Games, over 1,300 athletes from countries around the world competed in Athletics. This was the largest sports competition hosted in Special Olympics World Games history, with 7,000 athletes competing in 19 sports. The marathon was featured for the first time,  producing a winning time of 2 hours, 59 minutes and 18 seconds.

In addition to World Games, national, state, area and local games competition, Special Olympics athletes compete in exhibition events such as the Penn Relays, Mobile Indoor Invitational, and the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Celebrity athletes who have supported the Special Olympics Athletics Program include Olympians Carl Lewis, Dwight Stone, Rafer Johnson, Jackie Joyner Kersee and Benita Fitzgerald.

The Official Special Olympics Sports Rules govern all Special Olympics Athletics competitions. As an international sports program, Special Olympics has created these rules based upon the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) and National Governing Body (NGB) rules for Athletics. IAAF or NGB rules are employed except when they conflict with the Official Special Olympics Sports Rules. In such cases, the Official Special Olympics Sports Rules apply.

Special Olympics is the first organization other than a national Olympic Committee to be officially recognized and endorsed by the International Olympic Committee.

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