CONNECTICUT— Special Olympics Connecticut announces that the much-anticipated 2020 Summer Games will be held virtually, Friday, June 12, and Saturday, June 13. All can view the virtual activities — including the Opening Ceremony and athletes’ sports activities — on Special Olympics Connecticut’s social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, as well as on its website, soct.org. For more information about the Virtual Summer Games, e-mail specialolympicsct@soct.org.

Special Olympics athletes from around the state are currently practicing different sports activities at home in a safe and responsible way, and are submitting their results, photos, and videos to be included in Summer Games highlight videos that will be released during Summer Games weekend, on June 12 and 13. While the current crisis has put many aspects of life on hold, the organization’s top priorities are the safety and health of its athletes and giving the athletes opportunities to demonstrate their skills and compete.

The 2020 Summer Games Opening Ceremony will be shared on Facebook and YouTube, as well as on the Special Olympics Connecticut website on June 12, beginning at 6:30 pm. It will feature all of the hallmarks of a traditional Opening Ceremony, including the Special Olympic Athlete Oath, the national anthem sung by a Special Olympics Connecticut athlete, and supportive messages from sponsors. A Virtual Athlete Dance, hosted by iHeart Radio Connecticut radio stations and presented by Webster Bank, will follow.

Highlights of athletes participating in Summer Games activities will be shared throughout the day on June 13. Modified cycling, soccer, tennis, and track and field will be featured, and athletes have the opportunity to participate in as many events as they wish.

Options for cycling include the 100 meter ride, the 200 meter ride, and the slalom, in which athletes layout a 27-meter course with objects to weave around.

For soccer, athletes can take part in the run, kick, and score competition, to see how many goals they can score in two minutes, or the dribbling competition, measuring how fast an athlete can dribble 15 meters.

Tennis athletes can participate in the tennis ball bounce challenge, measuring out how many times they can bounce a ball on their racquet without dropping it.

In addition, track and field participants can compete in 10, 50, 100, and 200 meter dashes, as well as the standing long jump and tennis ball throw. For more information, visit soct.org.

All are invited to watch the virtual Summer Games throughout the weekend of June 12 and 13 to be part of this wonderful athletic event featuring athletes of all abilities. There will be an opportunity to interact with the athletes by sharing messages of support and congratulations for those participating in the Games through social media.

In addition to Presenting Sponsor Raytheon Technologies, Summer Games Platinum Sponsors include Sikorsky and Praxair. Gold Sponsors include Alexion, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, ESPN, Fairfield University, Foxwoods, Henkel, Knights of Columbus, and Tokio Marine. Bronze Sponsors include the American Legion, Chick-Fil-A, Geico, Manchester Honda - Carter Chevrolet - Mazda of Manchester, Synchrony Financial, TD Bank, and the Walter Camp Football Foundation. Media Sponsors include iHeart Radio Connecticut, Hearst Media Connecticut, and NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut.

About Special Olympics Connecticut

Special Olympics Connecticut provides year-round sports training and competitions for more than 13,000 athletes of all ages with intellectual disabilities and Unified Sports® partners — their teammates without disabilities.

Through the joy of sport, the Special Olympics movement transforms lives and communities throughout the state and in 172 countries around the world by promoting good health and fitness and inspiring inclusion and respect for people of all abilities, on and off the playing field.

Partner Sponsors: Bozzuto’s Inc., Enterprise, ESPN, Eversource Energy, The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, The Hometown Foundation, Law Enforcement Torch Run, NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut, TD Bank, Raytheon Technologies, and WWE.

Year-Round Suppliers: Adams Hometown Markets/IGA Hometown Supermarkets, Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, Connecticut Portable Storage/PODS, Marcus Communications, N&D Sports, Poland Spring, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch Community Service, and WORX.