After two years on hiatus, the Special Olympics Puerto Rico (SOPR) organizations and the Puerto Rican Down Syndrome Foundation resumed the series of friendly basketball games in which athletes with disabilities participate.
At the first of several events, held on the Nilmari Santini field of the Sports and Recreation Department (DRD), there was representation from the Psychopedagogical Institute of Puerto Rico (IPPR), a residential center that serves people with intellectual disabilities.
Quintets from the organizations of the Down Syndrome Foundation and the Municipality of San Juan also met, in both genders. While the National Unified SOPR Team faced the whole of the Model Institute for Individualized Teaching (IMEI).
“Little by little we are reestablishing face-to-face events, which are so much needed for the integral, formative and competitive development of our athletes. It was good to see a lot of participation from different groups in a Special Olympics event, made up of various skill levels, a fundamental characteristic of our movement, ”said SOPR’s executive director, Mayra Meléndez.
The event was led by SOPR instructor and professor at the Puerto Rican Down Syndrome Foundation, Emily Negrón.
For his part, the leader of the IPPR teams and unified athlete of the SOPR National Team, Albert López, highlighted the importance of this event for his pupils who, although they did not compete in an official tournament for two years, remained active and practicing.
“Very happy to see my players performing on the court after this break. It is important to stay active and resume, little by little, the face-to-face matches. The health and safety protocol implemented in the event was good, an important detail to continue holding games and face-to-face events, ”said López.
The activity counted with the participation of the undersecretary of the DRD, Ricky Almon; the president of the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rican Down Syndrome Foundation, José Marxuach, and the sports director of SOPR, Ángel M. Arroyo.
.
