Special Olympics Gibraltar To Compete In European Aquatics Open Water Swimming Cup

Special Olympics Gibraltar (SOG) has been invited to compete in the prestigious European Aquatics Open Water Swimming Cup in Barcelona on 20th September, becoming one of only ten countries selected to participate.
SOG will be represented by a delegation of two athlete swimmers Adam Stewart and Ivan Gomez Mannion, two unified partners Adrian Lopez and Charles Harrison, and two coaches Darren Grech and Michael Mauro. Together, the swimmers will take on the 800m open water race, which requires competitors to finish within 25 minutes. Encouragingly, the SOG team has been clocking times of under 20 minutes in training.
Ahead of race day, the team will benefit from two days of training in Barcelona. The race itself will begin at 10:30 am on Saturday 20th September, immediately followed by the official medal ceremony.
This competition comes hot on the heels of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Special Olympics Europe Eurasia and European Aquatics in July in Slovenia, strengthening opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities to participate in mainstream European competitions.
SOG National Director Annie Risso said “Our athletes have been putting in excellent times in training, well ahead of the target pace. This event is a fantastic opportunity to compete on a European stage and demonstrate the strength of inclusion in sport. This invitation is an honour for Gibraltar and a testament to the hard work of our athletes, coaches and supporters. Competing at the European Aquatics Open Water Swimming Cup is not just about medals, but about proving that inclusion and determination can make waves across Europe.”
Special Olympics Gibraltar extends its thanks to all supporters and looks forward to showcasing the talent, determination, and sportsmanship of its athletes on the European stage.