On 26 June, the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics Swimming Tournament for Persons with Down Syndrome "Let's Win Together" took place at the Burevestnik Sports Complex of Volga Region University.
The opening ceremony was attended by Natalia Grechannikova, Vice-Rector of Volga Region University, Linar Garipov, Chairman of the Committee for Physical Culture and Sport of the Executive Committee of Kazan, Tatiana Merzlyakova, Director of Good Kazan, and Elena Lalina, Director of the Victory Together Charitable Foundation. They welcomed the athletes and wished them not only to strive for victory, but also to enjoy the competition.
Darya Kotova, Master of Sport in Swimming and national record holder, gave the start of the Special Olympics and wished the participants "easy water".
Immediately after the end of the ceremony the first swims began, in which athletes from 39 regions of Russia and four neighbouring countries took part.
Text and photo: Adelina Khramova
