Special Olympics Canada Summer Games wrap up with plenty of shine
MEDICINE HAT – A week of unusually rainy skies transformed to sun on the final day of the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Medicine Hat, but organizers said there was plenty of metaphorical sunshine beamed out to the entire county.
Athletes basked in the glow of medals, achievements, and camaraderie, dancing into the night even after the Games’ cauldron transferred the Flame of Hope onwards to the 2028 Winter Games in Kelowna.
“It’s been a magical week, and I know all the athletes are going home with incredible memories,” said Special Olympics Canada CEO Gail Hamamoto as dance music pumped into Co-op Place following Saturday’s closing ceremony.
The city of 70,000 embraced the Games and its estimated 1,700 participants, plus thousands more guests that stretched regional accommodations to their limit. More than 1,500 volunteers logged an excess of 29,000 hours of work to make the Aug. 11-15 event happen, from transportation to food services, security, 10 sports, and beyond.
“What I'll always hold dearest to my heart is how the community came together and never stopped showing up,” said Games Chair Natalie Sauer. “The volunteers were thanking us for the opportunity to be part of it. Everywhere we went, there were thank-you’s from athletes and coaches, and thank-you’s from volunteers. You couldn't combine that more beautifully.”
Originally planned for 2022 but cancelled due to the COVID pandemic, the host committee rallied and heard platitudes all week long from guests. Contingencies for hot weather went by the wayside when the forecast turned to rain, but that didn’t stop impressive performances, nor the smiles on athletes’ faces.
“Medicine Hat has done a fantastic job,” said Hamamoto, who also oversaw the 2024 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games in Calgary. “Every volunteer was warm and welcoming and treated us like family.
“Every time we see athletes on the field of play, it reminds us what's good about sport. The friendships, the joy, and the sense of belonging are what people will remember.”
A party to thank volunteers was scheduled for later Sunday, giving organizers one final chance to celebrate. For Sauer and the host committee, it also marked the conclusion of a journey that began nearly a decade ago when Medicine Hat first set its sights on hosting the Games.
“We all get to say today: We did it,” said Sauer. “Our hotels were full, our residences were full, and our partnerships with the college, the school district, and the city came together beautifully. All those partnerships are exactly why this came together as beautifully as it did.”
And our hearts are full of sunshine, too.
Learn more about the 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games by following @socsummergames on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
