Charles Rays, SOT Director, said winning nine bronze medals in the world event is a big achievement for the country, adding the athletes have proved that they are some of the best in the world.
“I think our special athletics athletes did well for the country, the Games were very tough but our athletes carried the national flag high and brought home nine medals, which to me is the biggest achievement, it is now time we encourage and give full support to Special Olympics,” he said.
Rays appealed to the corporate world and other stakeholders to assist SOT so that it can start early preparations for the next Special Olympics World Games slated to be held in Australia in 2027.
The country's delegation for Special Olympics World Games was made up of 27 people and Minister for Culture, Arts, and Sports, Pindi Chana, speaking at the national flag handover function, challenged the athletes to fly the flag high in Germany.
She was adamant the government aims to see the athletes win medals.
"You are going to Germany to represent Tanzania, and your government is happy to see that intellectually challenged athletes are taking part in sporting activities, that is what we call inclusive sports," she stressed.
The minister further said President Samia Suluhu Hassan's leadership is committed to seeing that all people in the country are involved in sporting activities.
She said under President Samia, Tanzania has done well in sports and other sectors.
Pindi pointed out: "It is the wish of our President and her government to see that all people are involved in sports, that is sports inclusive."
"Under President Samia Suluhu Hassan our football teams are doing well, athletes with disabilities are competing in various sports events," she said.
"You all saw the exploits of 'Tembo Warriors' (national amputee football team) and the national U-17 women's soccer squad, they are performing well, in short, all sports disciplines are doing well, all that is brought about by full support of the government," she disclosed.
Zanzibar President, Hussein Ali Mwinyi, the Isles' Minister for Information, Youth, Culture, and Sports Tabia Maulid Mwita, and Pindi attended the Special Olympics World Games in Germany.
Speaking last week during the team's departure, the team's doctor Juma Mwankemwa hailed the government for its continued support of sports among intellectually challenged people.
He, moreover, asked the government to have a special budget for intellectually challenged people in the country.
Before the team's departure to Germany, the 20 athletes who represented the country in the Games camped at Sibusiso Foundation in Arusha where they engaged in intensive training.
The athletes who battled it out in the Special Olympics World Games were selected from SOT subprograms/regions, and others secured selection after excelling in the National Special Olympics Championships that took place in Mwanza last year.
The national Special Olympics team was sponsored by various stakeholders including the government, Azam FC, Azam Media Limited, and Sibusiso Foundation.
The 20 athletes constituting the national Special Olympics team are Sheha Hassan, Abdulrahman Salim, Neverson Minja, Herith Suleiman, Mathias Makanyange, Duncan Lucian, Luquman Salum, Ali Juma, Oswald Kipoto, Ibrahim Mabeche.
Fatuma Omari, Shakira Miduma, Johari Ng'ombe, Rebecca Sumwendeti, Elizabeth Kisaka, Aziza Mtamila, Dorcas Msapu, Rachel Siwambe, Maimuna Ali, and Salah Bwege are the team's other performers.
The athletes were accompanied by four coaches, namely head coach Deogratius Mdemu, volleyball coaches Stephen Oloo and Augustino Mohamed, and athletics coach Saada Ali that doubled as the team's matron.
Abdulkarim Nurdin was the assistant leader of the delegation and Mwankemwa was the team's doctor.
This was the first time that Germany was hosting the World Special Olympics and more than 700 athletes with intellectual disabilities from 170 countries battled it out in the showpiece.
_0.jpg?itok=QU87XW8D){kind=tracking}
.jpeg?itok=vCj6bCRe)
