Athletes to Compete at Special Olympics Summer Games, June 1st & 2nd

Special Olympics Connecticut will host its 2024 Summer Games presented by Pratt & Whitney, Saturday, June 1st and Sunday, June 2nd, with an Opening Ceremony to kick off the weekend on Friday, May 31st. All are invited to attend and cheer on the athletes who will be competing at the event. For more information, visit soct.org, email specialolympicsct@soct.org or call 203-230-1201. And, follow Special Olympics Connecticut on Facebook and Instagram.

The Summer Games Opening Ceremony will take place at Southern Connecticut State University's Jess Dow Field, 125 Wintergreen Avenue in New Haven, on Friday at 6:30 p.m. It will feature the Final Leg of the Connecticut Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics and a 1500M race.

Summer Games track & field and swimming competition will take place at Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent Street in New Haven, all day on Saturday and Sunday.

Cycling competition will be held at Yale West Campus, 100 West Campus Drive in Orange, on Saturday.

Tennis and Soccer competition will go on at Fairfield University, 1073 North Benson Road in Fairfield, on Sunday.

Summer Games will offer athletes of all abilities from across the state the opportunity to compete in sports with their peers and demonstrate their speed and skills after training with their coaches and teammates for a season.

Through the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® programs, athletes participating in Summer Games will also have the opportunity to receive free health screenings and education in the following health disciplines:

• FUNfitness, Fit Feet, Health Promotion, Healthy Hearing, Special Smiles at Strong Minds at Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday
• FUNfitness, Fit Feet, health Promotion, Special Smiles and Strong Minds at Southern Connecticut State University on Sunday
• Healthy Habits Education: Hydration at Yale West Campus on Saturday

In addition to Presenting Sponsor Pratt & Whitney, this year's Summer Games sponsors include Diamond Sponsors - NBC Sports and New York Life; Platinum Sponsors - ESPN, Fairfield University, Foxwoods Resort Casino, Henkel, the Knights of Columbus, Safe Harbor Marinas, Southern Connecticut State University and Webster Bank and Gold Sponsors - Gymnastics Revolution, Otis, The L. Suzio York Hill Companies and Tokio Marine HCC.

Also, Bronze Sponsors - Global Atlantic Financial Group, Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, Linde, NJM Insurance Group and Yale New Haven Health; Supporting Sponsors - the American Legion, the Greater Hartford Chapter of Jack & Jill and Olsen Construction; Contributing Sponsors - CFGI, Glastonbury Rotary Club, Teamsters 1150 and UBS Financial Services Inc. and Media Sponsors - Hearst Connecticut Media Group, iHeart Connecticut Radio and NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut.

About Special Olympics Connecticut
Special Olympics Connecticut provides year-round sports training and competitions for more than 12,000 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 190 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. (www.soct.org)

Partner Sponsors: Bozzuto's Inc., the Connecticut Elks Association, Enterprise, ESPN, Eversource, The Hometown Foundation, the Knights of Columbus, the Law Enforcement Torch Run, NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut, Pratt & Whitney, Webster Bank and WWE.

Year-Round Suppliers: Adams Hometown Markets/IGA Hometown Supermarkets, Bozzuto's Inc., Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, Foxwoods Resort Casino, Hearst Connecticut Media Group, iHeart Radio Connecticut, N&D Sports, NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut, Pepperidge Farm, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch Community Service and WORX.