Photo by Ben Solomon Ben Solomon
The following is an excerpt by Mental Floss from the article titled 11 Facts About Special Olympics:
There are more than 5 million Special Olympics athletes.
From weight-lifters to speed-skaters, 5.6 million people participate in Special Olympics programs through training events and competitions held all year round. Anyone over the age of 8 with intellectual disabilities is eligible to compete, and a full third of athletes are 22 or older.The Special Olympic Board of Directors includes Loretta Claiborne and Michelle Kwan.
From Harvard Law professors to famous athletes, Special Olympics has an impressive array of dedicated advocates. The most successful U.S. figure skater of all time, Michelle Kwan serves as treasurer for the organization, and Loretta Claiborne is vice-chair. As a former Special Olympics athlete herself, Claiborne has run marathons, speaks four languages, has a black belt in karate, and travels the world as a motivational speaker.