Berlin, 17 June, 2023 (GNP): Pakistani athlete Sana had the honor of being a torchbearer at the opening ceremony of the 16th Special Olympics World Games in Berlin’s Olympia Stadium on Saturday.
The ceremony, which began at 8:20 pm local time, featured a parade of approximately 7,000 athletes from 190 countries.
President of Germany, Frank Walters officially declared the games open while the President of Special Olympics, Timothy Shriver, extended a warm welcome to the participants.
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Sana, originating from Mirpurkhas town in Sindh province, was among the torchbearers of the ceremony. Notably, the privilege of lighting the torch at the games is exclusively bestowed upon athletes from a total of seven countries.
However, Sana proudly represented Pakistan in the athletics race, showcasing her talent and determination on the global stage.
Before the event, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Germany, Dr. Muhammad Faisal hosted the Pakistani squad at Pakistan House in Berlin.
The embassy officials and staff extended a warm welcome to a delegation of 54 male and 33 female athletes, accompanied by their coaches and support officials.
Prominent members of the Pakistani community provided encouragement and support to aspiring young athletes by assuring their presence.
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Ambassador Dr. Muhammad Faisal expressed his pride in witnessing the athletes’ enthusiasm, hope, and determination to represent Pakistan while acknowledging the efforts of team management, including Ronaq Lakhani and Yasmeen Haider, as well as the coaches and officials, in preparing the players for this significant event.
The ambassador reassured the Special Olympics team of the embassy’s unwavering support during their stay in Berlin.
Ronak Lakhani, Chairperson of Special Olympics Pakistan and leader of the delegation expressed gratitude to the Pakistani ambassador and the embassy for their generous support and expressed optimism for the team’s success in the upcoming event.
