Special Olympics excellence with Kimana Mar

Kimana Mar shines on the world stage as a Special Olympics rhythmic gymnast, inspiring Ottawa and beyond. Kimana shares how Ottawa’s supportive coaches, friends, and wider community empower her to thrive as an athlete and as a person with Down syndrome.

Special Olympics is a global sport movement for athletes with intellectual disabilities, including Down syndrome, focused on lifelong sport engagement. Unlike para sport, which centres on high-performance competition for athletes with physical disabilities, Special Olympics prioritizes inclusive competition and community connection at every level.

Ottawa supports Canadian Special Olympics athletes through accessible sport environments, strong community partnerships and local programs that create meaningful opportunities to train and compete.

Although there are many local athletes participating in Special Olympics programming, here are some Ottawa athletes who represented Team Canada at the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy.

• Kevin Dooks - Snowshoeing
• Gaerrisen Freeland - Snowshoeing
• John O'Neill - Cross Country Skiing
• Michael Raytchev - Figure Skating
• Katie Xu - Figure Skating and Swimming

The 2027 Special Olympics World Summer Games take place in Santiago, Chile.

Multi-sport/games

• 2025 Special Olympics Ontario School Championships