The number of participants at the Win Together swimming tournament among people with Down syndrome has increased by one and a half times

This year, the tournament has become international – for the first time athletes from 5 countries attended the competition.

The Win Together All-Russian Swimming Tournament among people with Down syndrome has started in Kazan today. 150 participants from 34 Russian regions, as well as five foreign countries arrived in the capital of Tatarstan. “Every year competitions become more popular among people with disabilities. This year the tournament has become international. For the first time, athletes from Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the Republic of Belarus participated at the competition”, - Albert Salikhov, chairman of the Physical Culture and Sports Committee, shared at a press conference at the Tatar–inform news agency.

The swimming tournament has been held in Russia for the sixth time and for the fourth time in the capital of Tatarstan. According to Albert Salikhov, the successful previous experience allowed to increase the number of participants to 150 people – this is one and a half times more than in 2021.

Athletes came from all over the country. Nine Kazan swimmers will take part in the tournament.

The competitions will be held from 8 to 11 September in the Akcharlak swimming pool. A.Salikhov noted that this year the number of disciplines has increased. 190 sets of medals will be awarded in four days.

Over 50 volunteers will help organizers at the tournament.

The chairman of the Physical Culture and Sports Committee noted that there are all conditions for people with disabilities in Kazan, including those with Down syndrome, to play sports. Thanks to the support of the leadership of the city and the republic, classes are held free of charge in 13 sports venues of the city. About 220 people visit them weekly.

According to Larisa Parfyonova, head of the republican branch of Special Olympics of Russia, swimming is popular among people with Down syndrome. “Now a special adaptive sports school has been created on the basis of the Volga State University of Physical Culture and Sports, in which about 10 people with Down syndrome are engaged in swimming. In addition, thanks to various inclusive programs, 15 more people are engaged in swimming at Kazan sports venues”, - she said.

At the end of December, Kazan will host a sports decade for the disabled, and in mid-January 2023, the capital of Tatarstan will host the Special Olympics United Games. The competitions will be the largest in the history of Special Olympics in Russia.

“Kazan can be truly called the adaptive sports capital of Russia, - Elena Lanina noted. – Thanks to such tournaments, people with disabilities can live a full life”.