(ATR)Los Angeles leaders are opening the city's largest multi-sport event since the 1984 Olympics on Saturday.
L.A. 2015 organizers say over 7,000 athletes from 177 countries will compete at the summer edition of the Special Olympics World Games.
Around the Ringsspoke with Steven Vanderpool, senior vice president of communications and media operations for the Special Olympics World Games, on July 21.
Vanderpool said that the feeling throughout L.A. is electric and athletes who have arrived at the games are enjoying a "Hollywood treatment."
He also said that the Special Olympics World Games would only benefit a U.S. Olympic bid like Boston 2024. The city of L.A. was also in the running to bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics, but the U.S. Olympic Committee chose Boston to bid instead on Jan. 7.
The 1984 L.A. Olympics are widely considered one of the most financially successful modern Games. Vanderpool told ATR thatL.A. 2015 is using many of the venues from the 1984 Games for competition at the Special Olympics World Games.
The star-studded lineup for the opening ceremony includes the iconic Stevie Wonder, singer/song-writer Avril Lavigne, and award-winning musician Siedah Garrett, who wrote the theme song for the Special Olympics World Games "Reach Up L.A."
Olympians including Greg Louganis and Michael Phelps will also make appearances during the opening ceremony, which will be staged at the L.A. Coliseum.
On Sunday, competition kicks off with events in athletics, bocce, bowling, handball, softball, tennis, and triathlon. The day ends with events in open water swimming, rhythmic gymnastics, softball, and volleyball.
Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, theSpecial Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
The organization sets up year-round training and competitions for over 4 million athletes in more than 170 countries. Special Olympics competitions are held every day, all around the world.
The summer and winter editions of the Special Olympics World Games, held every four years, are the flagship events for the organization.
Over 500,000 people are expected to come out to watch competition in L.A. throughout the next week.Some 2,000 coaches and 30,000 volunteers will be in the southern California city for the games.Competition ends Aug. 2.
Written byNicole Bennett
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