SPECIAL OLYMPICS SAILS INTO SHANGHAI!
The twelfth Special Olympics World Games sailed into Shanghai on Tuesday evening with a spectacular three hour long opening ceremony in front of 80,000 spectators, world leaders and global celebrities.
The event, the biggest sporting occasion on the planet this year, was officially opened by Chinese President Hu Jintao at the Shanghai Stadium and featured addresses by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, actors Colin Farrell and Jackie Chan and a host of sports and entertainment superstars.
The 159 strong Great Britain team was led out into the arena by Special Olympics Great Britain Chairman and former football manager Lawrie McMenemy MBE, Bianca Jagger and kilt-clad Special Olympics Great Britain Board Member Jed Rennilson . Team GB will compete against 7000 athletes with learning disabilities from 160 nations in aquatics, athletics, badminton, basketball, bowling, cycling, equestrian, football, golf, gymnastics, judo, kayaking, powerlifting, sailing, table tennis and tennis.
The ceremony featured a lavish firework display as well as almost 6000 dancers, drummers and artists reflecting the games' motto of 'I Know I Can'. The occasion started with a drum show called "Harmony:
Hearts Beating As One" and was followed by a stunning representation of the four Special Olympic themes of courage, sharing, skill and joy.
The 'Flame of Hope', carried by Chinese Olympic gold medal winning hurdler Liu Shang, arrived in the stadium to amazing celebrations after an epic 22,000 mile journey around the globe.
The World Games runs from October 2nd through until October 11th with each of the athletes competing featured on a specially created website www.specialolympicslive.org
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