Three Swiss female athletes had the special opportunity to participate in the 9th National Summer Games of Special Olympics Austria in Vienna – and for the first time in the sport of climbing. Silvia Ott, Daniela Greub, and Erika Rosa Kälin are primarily known in Switzerland from cycling and Cross Country Skiing competitions. In Vienna, together with their coach Reinhart Schütz, they ventured onto the climbing wall – with great success. The Swiss delegation returned home with three medals.
They experienced another highlight before the closing ceremony: Together with around 3,000 athletes, they participated in the world’s largest inclusive gymnastics lesson. The event was officially recognized as a world record by the Record Institute Austria. It wasn’t about meters or seconds, but about something that defines Special Olympics: shared movement, encounters, and the joy of sport.
Even a few weeks after the Games, the three athletes still find it hard to believe everything they experienced in Vienna. For them, the climbing debut with the medals and participation in this special world record still feels “super cool.”
We warmly congratulate Silvia, Daniela, Erika, and their coach Reinhart Schütz on this successful appearance and look forward to welcoming them back to a Special Olympics Switzerland competition soon.
