Ottawa hosting student athletes for Special Olympics Ontario

The Special Olympics Ontario School Championships are taking place in Ottawa this week. CTV’s Kimberley Fowler reports.

This week, the City of Ottawa is alive with energy with high school athletes and educators taking the stage for the 2025 Special Olympics Ontario School Championships. The event not only celebrates the power of sport, but it also empowers athletes of all capabilities in inclusive competition.

Over 1,200 athletes are competing in five sports, basketball, bocce, floorball, soccer and track and field. The three-day event is hosted by the Ottawa Police Service.

“In Ontario, we have police services host our games for us. So, a huge shout out to the Ottawa Police Service led by Chief Eric Stubbs,” said Cody Jansma, Special Olympics Ontario president and CEO. “They hosted this game’s fundraiser year-round, (and) the provincial government they gave us funding this year for unified champion schools.”

School from across the province are in the capital to compete from June 3 to 5.

“A lot of these students … it’s the first time they’ve competed for the school,” said Jansma.

“It might be the first time they’ve been on a team in general, and definitely the first time they’ve travelled away from mom and dad. And they’re staying in the dorms here at Carlton University which has been a great host, so it’s just an incredibly inspiring event that showcases what’s truly great in the world of sports.”

Simon Lim plays bocce and represents Albert Campbell Collegiate Institute in Toronto. He is one of the Special Olympians playing for a medal.

“Hopefully, I win this thing. I need it,” said Lim.

While giving himself a pat on his back, he adds “I will be happy, and I will be proud of myself.”

Athletes either compete in the Traditional Division where all athletes have an intellectual disability or in the Unified Division that promotes inclusion where athletes with and without intellectual disabilities competing on the same team.

“It doesn’t really matter because we all just have fun. It’s just about having fun here and breaking barriers,” said unified athlete and basketball player Pratheep Sayanthan. “It’s just been really fascinating for me to see how so many people can come together to make such a unified community and help them breakdown social barriers that athletes like Simon might have to face everyday.”

These games are not only for the students. Jennifer Kil leads the physical education program at Albert Campbell Collegiate Institute and says: “I’ve been very fortunate to be apart of the Special Olympics Unified Program since about 2016. Every year I come, and I see the opening ceremonies get bigger and bigger and bigger. It is phenomenal, which means that we’re doing the things that we need to do ensure that inclusion happens for all our students.”

Kil says the bonds made by teammates go beyond the games.

“It could be something as simple as a high five in the hallways. It could be something as simple as having lunch together. And those are things that might not have happened before and now it’s the main at our school,” Kil said.

Lim and Sayanthan say their goal is to make the finals again next year in London, Ont.

The 2025 Special Olympics Ontario School Championships wraps up with the medal presentations and closing ceremonies on Wednesday.