Last week one of the Hercules Trophy contestants told me what she liked the most: “I was so scared before the Trophy, but after half an hour I experienced that anybody could compete! I didn’t need to be scared at all! I joined the competition with people I work with on a daily basis, not a team of top athletes. And you know what: we had a blast and ended higher than expected. However, it was all about having fun! The party and the connection with other contestants was amazing! It was more important to participate than to win.”

I love to hear that, because that’s the whole point!

So now you understand why I’m such a fan of Special Olympics? Because they do exactly the same thing. Sports for all people with an intellectual disability, regardless of “level”. It’s not about cheating. It’s not about egos. It’s about the love for sports. The love for people. It’s about uniting people through sports. It’s about fun. It’s about making people better through sports.

Last Saturday we did a great experiment: a Special Olympics Unified Team competed for the first time in the Hercules Trophy. They had a blast and did the most crazy sports!!! And you know what? They never trained with the “partners” who played with them: some fabulous MBA’s from the Antwerp Management School.

Hercules Trophy supports Special Olympics through the Herculix Foundation. On Christmas Evening, we will anounce “The Kindest Team”. That’s the team who raised the most funds through their teampage. Thanks Ammado for the great support!