BERLIN: Pakistani athlete Sana will be a torchbearer at the 16th Special Olympic World Games opening ceremony in Berlin which is set to kick off with its grand opening ceremony at the German capital’s Olympia Stadium on Saturday.
The opening ceremony will witness a parade of approximately 7,000 athletes from 190 countries, taking place in the iconic Olympia Stadium, which has a seating capacity of around 75,000 at 8:20pm local time.
The President of Special Olympics, Timothy Shriver, will warmly welcome the athletes, while the President of Germany, Frank Walters, will officially declare the games open.
Among the highlights of the event will be the participation of athlete Sana from Pakistan as one of the torchbearers during the ceremony.
Sana, hailing from Sindh’s Mirpurkhas town, has been selected as one of the torchbearers by the organisers of the games. It is worth noting that only athletes from seven countries receive the honour of lighting the torch at the games.
Sana will be representing Pakistan in the athletics race, showcasing her talent and determination on an international platform.
Prior to the event, the Pakistani squad participating in the event was hosted at a reception organised by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Germany, Dr Muhammad Faisal, at Pakistan House in Berlin.
The delegation, consisting of 54 male and 33 female athletes, along with their coaches and support officials, received a warm welcome from embassy officials and staff.
Prominent members of the Pakistani community were also in attendance, offering encouragement and support to the aspiring young athletes.
