Nicole Harris

During Women’s History Month, seven women, one from each Special Olympics Region, shared their unique stories of what it was like to participate in and plan a World Games.

What is your role for the 2025 and 2029 World Winter Games?

My role for the 2025 and 2029 World Winter Games is to evaluate the bids Special Olympics received from cities that want to host future World Winter Games.

Why is it important for a Special Olympics athlete to evaluate bids for future World Games?

It’s important because it allows the athlete to voice their opinions and ideas from previous attended Games of what makes a World Games experience great and what countries that host World Games could do differently to make it bigger and better from an athletes point of view. Also, to make it an experience that any athlete can look back on and have life-long memories from.

What are you most looking forward to in this role? 

I’m most looking forward to finding out what countries are bidding for the 2025 and 2029 World Winter Games. Also, seeing how a World Winter Games is run from behind the scenes compared to being an athlete competing in it.

What World Games have you competed in and in what sports? 

I have competed in three World games. In 2011 in Athens, Greece and in 2015, in Los Angeles, California, I competed in basketball. In 2013, in Pyeongchang, South Korea, I competed in alpine skiing.

What advice would you share with Special Olympics athletes who are training to compete at a World Games? 

Make sure you have a passion for whatever sport you play because it makes training so much more enjoyable. Use every training and competition as a stepping stone to work on your strengths as well as your weaknesses. Always set long and short-terms goals as motivation. Always learn from and look back on previous sessions and competitions you have won or lost at and always take a positive thing out of it. The next four years may be a roller coaster of high, lows, lots of blood, sweat and tears, ice baths, early mornings and late nights, and injuries. Enduring these things will make you a better, smarter athlete at the end of the day.