Special Olympics Bharat athletes get back to training to prepare for 2022 World Winter Games

New Delhi: As many as 35 Indian athletes participated in the first national coaching camp conducted by Special Olympics Bharat in Manali, Himachal Pradesh to prepare for World Winter Games to be held in Kazan, Russia, next year. The camp was held from 8 to 20 February in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports and attended by over 60 campers hailing from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Alpine Skiing, Snow Boarding and Snowshoeing were the three Snow Sports that were the primary focus of this preparation camp, the first in over a year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. "The National Coaching Camp concluded at a joyful note as all campers went back safe and healthy. We were on a constant vigil to keep the camp safe, also keeping a contingency plan in place that would cater to any emergency, medical or otherwise," Malika Nadda, Vice-Chair Special Olympics Bharat, said in a release. "Winter Games that initiated with participation of athletes from the cold regions of India has, over the years, expanded to other regions of the country. These are the sports which many are unfamiliar with. It is a matter of pride to see our special athletes be the trailblazers."