Special Olympics

The “destiny winners” want to give it a brave try

Arnold Schwarzenegger is Honorary President of Special Olympics Austria.

(Bild: GEPA)

Fate had it far worse in store for them than for the vast majority of us - and yet they have achieved great things as athletes. We are talking about the athletes who will be taking part in the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin from Sunday. Like a "cloverleaf" from Upper Austria.

"I want to win! But if I can't win, then I will bravely try!"

This is the oath of the Special Olympics, for whom Sunday is the big day at the Winter Games in Turin. In addition to two coaches, four Upper Austrian athletes are also taking part:

• Juliane Danninger (18): only learned to walk at the age of three, but was already on skis at the age of four. Also plays women's soccer.

• Siegfried Mayr (47): "I never give up, I always give in, I give everything," says the multi-talented athlete, who has been mentally disabled since birth, ahead of his 5th Special Olympics. The Steyr native, who is also strong in climbing, bowling, athletics, horse riding and dancing, will be competing in cross-country skiing.

• Solveigh Weindorfer (27): Turin, where 1500 participants and 100,000 spectators are expected, will be the first World Games for the Innviertel skiing ace.

• Dana Schatz (17): The Linz native competed at the Special Olympics in 2017 at the age of 9 thanks to an exemption. The figure skater, who has Down's syndrome and had to undergo heart surgery as a baby, no longer needs this.