Windsor Athlete Breanna Williams Qualifies for Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy
Breanna Williams has qualified for Team Canada for the Special Olympics Winter Games in March 2025 in Turin, Italy and she was the only person in Windsor/Essex to qualify.
Williams, a long-time client of the John McGivney Children’s Centre is 15 years old, and the only person from Windsor Essex to qualify.
After a hiatus since the Special Olympics World Winter Games Austria 2017, the 2025 Games signify the return of winter sport competition on the world stage. Special Olympics Team Canada will compete in five winter sports: short track speed skating, figure skating, cross country skiing, alpine skiing and snowshoe.
The Games will be hosted in two locations: Turin for snow sports and Grenoble for ice sports.
The Special Olympics World Games is the pinnacle of inclusivity in sports. To view the full list of the 2025 Training Squad please click here.
Special Olympics is specifically designed for individuals with intellectual disabilities, and some athlete may have co-exiting disabilities. It is different than the Paralympics, which is specifically designed for individuals with physical disabilities.
Individuals who compete in Special Olympics develop improved physical fitness and motor skills and greater self-confidence. They exhibit courage and enthusiasm and build lasting friendships.
These life skills enhance their ability to live normal productive lives. Special Olympics athletes hold jobs, own homes, go to school and successfully confront life’s challenges.
The John McGivney Children’s Centre (JMCC) has been providing rehabilitation and support services to children and youth living in Windsor and Essex County for over 45 years. As the only publicly funded source of specialized paediatric rehabilitation expertise in the region, JMCC supports more than 3,000 children and youth annually with physical, neurological and developmental needs. In addition to providing physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech/language therapy, JMCC offers social work, therapeutic recreation and resource navigation services to families along with a wide range of on-site specialty clinics. Services are offered in the Centre, virtually, in schools and in the community.