Look: Heroes' welcome for UAE Special Olympics team after winning 16 medals at World Winter Games
After a year of intensive training, 11 determined Emirati athletes competed in six winter sports at the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025, held from March 8 to 15. The team returned home with 16 medals — four gold, five silver, and seven bronze.
To mark their homecoming, a celebration was hosted by Special Olympics UAE at the newly launched Ski Dubai in Mall of the Emirates, in collaboration with Majid Al Futtaim and the UAE Winter Sports Federation. Families joined proudly to celebrate the athletes' achievements.
The UAE delegation was the largest from the region. 'This is not just about medals,' said Mohammad El Etri, Managing Director of Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment. 'It's about pride and proving that with determination, even a desert nation can compete and win in winter sports.'
El Etri added, 'Winter sports in the GCC actually started in the UAE. We were the first in the region to gain international recognition. With the next Asian Winter Games to be hosted in Saudi Arabia, this is a milestone for the region. The UAE has the facilities, the athletes, and the vision to keep pushing forward.'
During the opening, partners and some winners made a presentation that featured an ice skating performance and the use of zip lines to carry the UAE flags.
Coach Edgardo Guevara of Ski Dubai praised the team's resilience said, 'Despite the snow, fog, and terrible visibility, nothing stopped them — they gave everything and earned 16 medals.' He highlighted that training began in early 2024. 'We don't focus on diagnosis — we focus on skill, attitude, and heart. They never gave up.'
Looking ahead, Guevara said, 'We're now preparing for the 2029 Special Olympics Winter Games in Switzerland. This is just the beginning.'
Talal Al Hashemi, National Director of Special Olympics UAE, said: 'One of our main focuses has been building on the legacy of the 2019 World Games in Abu Dhabi. Partnerships like the one with Ski Dubai helped us transition athletes into winter sports and achieve this level of excellence.'
'Every victory leads to a programme — how we build on that success through new initiatives focused on greater inclusion, more family involvement, and stronger community engagement. God willing, we have a clear plan to grow from this achievement,' He added.
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