More than 1,000 Special Olympics Iowa athletes and Unified Sports partners from across Iowa are set to compete in the annual Mid-Winter Tournament to be held March 11-12 in Iowa City. The event is made possible with the help of more than 350 volunteers from across the state.
Powerlifting, team basketball (3-on-3 and 5-on-5) and gymnastics competitions will be held at the University of Iowa Field House, while Iowa City West High School will host cheerleading, dance and basketball skills. Competition begins at 9 a.m. March 12. A Healthy Athletes session will be held from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Iowa City West High School.
The Opening Ceremony will take place March 11 at 6 p.m. along with a banquet and dance at the Coralville Marriott Exhibit Hall.
Special Olympics Unified Sports is an initiative that combines equal numbers of Special Olympi cs athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (called partners) on sports teams for training and competition. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.
The tournament is open to the public and admission is free. For more information on Special Olympics Iowa, visit our website at www.soiowa.org or call 515-986-5520.