A 100 strong team from across Great Britain are competing alongside 3,000 elite deaf athletes from over 80 countries in this year’s Summer Deaflympics.
RNID collaborators, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., are sponsoring the event, which will take place in Tokyo, Japan from 15-26 November and marks the 25th anniversary of the event.
What are the Deaflympics?
The Deaflympics have been running since the 1900s and are recognised by the International Olympics Committee. They are held every four years in different countries and are open to deaf athletes with hearing loss of at least 55dB in their ‘better ear’.
The DeaflympicsGB athletes will be competing in 7 sports; athletics, football, golf, swimming, cycling, shooting and tennis.
Meet some of the UK’s athletes
Cyclist, Oliver Pritchard, will compete in his first Deaflympics this year. He says:
It’s an incredible honour to be selected to represent my country at the Deaflympics. This is the result of years of hard work, dedication, and support from my team, family, and community.”
Team DeaflympicsGB is led by Chef de Mission, Chris Beech. He adds:
I am honoured to lead an exceptional group of talented athletes, ably backed up with excellent coaching and core staff, who have shown resilience, determination, and an unwavering commitment to represent their country with pride.”
Teri Devine, Associate Director of Inclusion and Employment at RNID concludes:
The Deaflympics presents a fantastic opportunity for the world to see deaf talent celebrated on a global platform. We’ll be sure to be cheering them on!”
