Team Samoa will be fielding 18 athletes at the Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi this month.
These selected athletes will be taking part unified football, athletics, bocce (ball sport related to bowling) and power lifting.
Special Olympics Samoa chairman Leta’a Daniel Devoe who is part of the contingent said the team is ready to go.
“All our athletes are fit, they’re all strong, so all we need to do is get on the plane on Wednesday night and travel to Abu Dhabi.”
The athletes range in age from 16 to 29 and three of the team members competed at the previous World Games in Los Angeles in 2015.
Leta’a said they are going again only because of availability.
“The only reason why these three are going is because we couldn’t get other athletes, their parents to release them to go.
“Special Olympics is all about participation.”
He said getting support from parents for these sort of trips was a challenge, but they are getting there.
“You know that mindset that their child is not able to take care of themselves. We try to encourage the parents, assure them [their children] will be taken care of.”
Leta’a said there are a lot of safety precautions to bear in mind, with the team having to travel via plane and being away from home for two weeks.
“And also staying in the hotels.”
That’s why they have booked a sort of practice stay at Hotel Millenia in Mulinu’u this weekend. Just to make sure that they know the type of environment that they’ll be in when they get to Abu Dhabi.
“It’s not going to be a village, they’re all staying in five-star hotels, all the athletes.”
Apart from the 18 athletes, the team is also taking six coaches, a medic, and a head and assistant head of delegation will make the trip.
The games will be held from the 14 to 21 March.