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Six Welsh Athletes Selected to Represent GB at Special Olympics

Six athletes from Wales head to Berlin to compete in the Special Olympics World Games from 17 to 25 June 2023. They will be competing in a range of sports, from badminton to powerlifting.

Welsh success at the

Special Olympics World Games 2023

Location: Berlin, Germany  🇩🇪
When: 17 - 25 June 2023

 

Welsh athletes contributed 7 medals to Special Olympics GB's overall tally. Huge congratulations to all athletes who represented GB and Wales in Berlin this year!

Gold
  • Bleddyn Gibbs - Powerlifting 
  • Ethan Orton - Badminton Single Event

Silver
  • Ethan Orton - Badminton Team Event
  • Llinos Gilmore Jones - Bocce Single Event
  • Llinos Gilmore Jones - Bocce Team Event
  • Michael Beynon - Bocce Team Event

Bronze
  • Joshua Longbottom - Shot Put

Meet our six Welsh athletes selected to represent Great Britain at the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2023 :

Send a message to
"I am so excited and proud to be a part of Team GB. I am going to try very hard to win a medal!"
Send a message to
"I am proud to be representing Special Olympics Great Britain and trying my best!"
Send a message to
"It’s amazing to be selected. I’m excited to be competing on the World Stage and to meet new friends."
Send a message to
"I am looking forward to competing in Berlin and trying my best!"
Send a message to
"It’s fantastic to be selected and I can’t wait to meet athletes from other countries and learn about their cultures."
Send a message to
"I am excited to have been selected to compete and to meet new friends!"

Llongyfarchiadau to the Special Olympics Wales (SOW) athletes who have been selected to represent Great Britain at the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2023 in Berlin from 17-25 June.

Welsh Athletes and Competition Sports:
  • Bleddyn Gibbs, 18, from Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire | Powerlifting
  • Ethan Thomas Orton, 22 | Badminton
  • Joshua Longbottom, 28 | Llanfihangel Tal y lyn, Brecon | 100m Mixed relay & Shot put
  • John Hayes, 30 | Swansea | 100m, 200m and relay
  • Llinos Gilmore Jones, 40 | Llanelli, Carmarthenshire | Boccia
  • Michael Beynon, 27 | Chirk, Wrexham County | Boccia

First Minister Mark Drakeford wished the six athletes “every success” at an event held at the Senedd on the 5th June 2023. 

Dr Stephen Walker, head of the delegation for the Great Britain team, added: "This is the crème de la crème. Going to a World Games is the top event they can go to in the world." (BBC Wales)

Special Olympics Wales is the largest provider of sports training and competition programmes for people with intellectual (learning) disabilities.

Find out more about Special Olympics here: https://www.specialolympics.org

Pob lwc!

Topics in this article:
Inspiring StoriesLearning DisabilitySpecial Olympics Wales
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