Home   >   News   >   U.S.   >   Korean athletes arrive in LA for Special Olympics World Games

Korean athletes arrive in LA for Special Olympics World Games

July 21, 2015
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in preparation for the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics World Games 2015. (Park Sang-hyuk/Korea Times)

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in preparation for the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics World Games 2015. (Park Sang-hyuk/Korea Times)

By Kim Hyung-jae

The Special Olympics World Games will host about 7,000 athletes from 177 countries this year in Los Angeles from July 25 to Aug. 2.

The city last saw the Olympics taking place on its grounds in 1984.

More than 500,000 are expected to visit Los Angeles to see athletes compete in 24 sports in 27 venues, including the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where the Opening Ceremony will kick off festivities.

Ninety-four South Korean athletes and 27 coaches arrived in the city Tuesday. Supporters will see them compete in 11 categories: track and field, swimming, golf, table tennis, volleyball, basketball, soccer, weightlifting, rollerskating, badminton and bocce.

Woo Chung-sik, promotions head of Special Olympics Korea, said he hopes Korean Americans in the local community come out to support Korean athletes at venues in Downtown Los Angeles, USC and UCLA.

“Our athletes and staff are happy to see the games in Los Angeles, which has the largest Korean population in the United States,” he said.