{"id":30015,"date":"2018-07-03T13:30:45","date_gmt":"2018-07-03T13:30:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.microsoft.com\/?p=410589"},"modified":"2018-07-03T13:30:45","modified_gmt":"2018-07-03T13:30:45","slug":"geekwire-special-olympics-open-in-seattle-with-celebration-of-inclusion-microsoft-ceo-applauds-athletes-spirit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2018\/07\/03\/geekwire-special-olympics-open-in-seattle-with-celebration-of-inclusion-microsoft-ceo-applauds-athletes-spirit\/","title":{"rendered":"GeekWire: \u2018Special Olympics open in Seattle with celebration of inclusion; Microsoft CEO applauds athletes\u2019 spirit\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella addresses the crowd at the Opening Ceremony for the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games at Husky Stadium in Seattle on Sunday. (GeekWire Photo \/ Kevin Lisota)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

The 2018 Special Olympics USA Games<\/a> opened in Seattle on Sunday at the University of Washington\u2019s Husky Stadium with a parade of athletes and musical performances and inspiring moments meant to showcase acceptance and inclusion.<\/p>\n

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was among the dignitaries who took the stage to offer encouraging words to those in attendance. The Redmond, Wash.-based tech giant is the premier corporate partner for the Games.<\/p>\n

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Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella addresses the crowd at the Opening Ceremony for the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games at Husky Stadium in Seattle on Sunday. (GeekWire Photo \/ Kevin Lisota)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here are Nadella\u2019s comments in full:<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such an honor to be here today. The energy, the enthusiasm in this stadium is palpable and it\u2019s incredible. On behalf of everyone at Microsoft I want to extend the warmest of welcomes to all of you to Seattle.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour courage, your spirit and the pursuit of passion are truly inspiring. We can\u2019t wait to watch all your hard work and training come together as you compete this week.\u00a0But Special Olympics is about much more than just sports and competition. It\u2019s a model for building a more inclusive world. A world where everyone is celebrated for their unique abilities. A world where everyone is invited to participate.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing right here in Husky Stadium, I\u2019m reminded of one of my favorite books, \u2018The Boys in the Boat.\u2019 It\u2019s based on an inspiring story about a University of Washington crew team that against all odds made it to the 1936 Olympic Games and took home the gold. It\u2019s a reminder of the power of teamwork and perseverance, and there\u2019s a passage that\u2019s fitting for us all here today. There is a thing that sometimes happens in rowing, it\u2019s called \u2018the swing.\u2019 It only happens when all the eight oarsmen are rowing in such perfect unison that no single action by any one of the team is out of sync with those of the others. An inclusive world \u2014 that\u2019s what good swing looks like.<\/p>\n

\u201cTogether you\u2019re showing the world what is possible when we reflect the perspectives and the experiences to everyone. So enjoy the moment. You have achieved so much and you\u2019re building such an amazing, inclusive world.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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An athlete is carried into Husky Stadium on his teammates\u2019 shoulders as others high five members of the Blue Thunder drum line. (GeekWire Photo \/ Kevin Lisota)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More than 4,000 athletes and coaches from the across the United States are scheduled to compete in 14 team and individual sports across Seattle as the Games run through Friday. Tens of thousands of family members, volunteers and spectators have converged on the city.<\/p>\n

\u2018Defining moment\u2019 for Seattle as Microsoft, Amazon, others support Special Olympics USA Games<\/a><\/h4>\n

Sunday\u2019s festivities, broadcast live on ESPN, were emceed by actor Taye Diggs and featured musical performances by DJ Marshmello, Charlie Puth, Allen Stone and Heart\u2019s Ann Wilson, who sang the \u201cNational Anthem.\u201d The Seattle Seahawks\u2019 Blue Thunder drum line participated and the team\u2019s recent draft pick, Shaquem Griffin, served as grand marshall for the parade of athletes into Husky Stadium.<\/p>\n

Microsoft President Brad Smith was among a number of executives who would be competing in the first-ever\u00a0ESPN \/ Special Olympics Unified Sports Challenge at the UW\u2019s Husky Ballpark later on Sunday.<\/p>\n

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(GeekWire Photo \/ Kevin Lisota)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The execs, their employees, celebrities and Special Olympics athletes \u2014 on teams of five people \u2014 were competing in multiple Unified Sports challenges including\u00a0Hot Shot Basketball, Penalty Shot Soccer, Electronic Dance Game, Bocce, Inflatable Dart Board, Football Accuracy Challenge, Giant Memory Game and Golf Putting.<\/p>\n

DocuSign also participated with a team led by CEO Dan Springer and Starbucks\u2019 team was led by Vivek Varma, EVP for public affairs. Seattle sports celebs competing included Gary Payton, Steve Largent, Walter Jones, Apolo Ohno, Jim Zorn, Kasey Keller and more.<\/p>\n

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Microsoft President Brad Smith speaks at Husky Stadium in his role as honorary chairman of the Games. (GeekWire Photo \/ Kevin Lisota)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Microsoft\u2019s Smith also took the stage at Husky Stadium as honorary chairman of the Games to offer his own comments in support of the athletes. Here are those comments in full:<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cAll of us in Seattle have been working for the last 2 1\/2 years to get ready. To get ready for today. To welcome all of you and your family and your friends. We are so happy that you are here.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time a city has the opportunity to host an Olympic event or a World\u2019s Fair, it\u2019s an opportunity not only to be a great host, but to create a legacy. Fifty-five years ago, Seattle hosted the World\u2019s Fair and it built a legacy, an icon \u2014 the Space Needle, a symbol that people associate around the world with this place. But this week we will build a bigger legacy still. It is in each and every one of you.<\/p>\n

\u201cTogether we have an opportunity to build a legacy of understanding, of appreciation, of commitment. A commitment for each of us to bring out the best in ourselves, to bring out the best in everyone around us. That is what each and every one of you represent.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we think about what we will all do this week, whether we\u2019re competing or spectating and cheering all of you on, this is a week when we can do even more than rise together. We can stand together, we can stick together and more than anything else we can build together. Let\u2019s build a legacy, a legacy that lasts.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Washington Gov. Jay Inslee greets the crowd in Seattle on Sunday. (GeekWire Photo \/ Kevin Lisota)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver cheers on the athletes alongside Frannie Ronan, an 8-year-old gymnast from Kirkland, Wash., and the youngest competitor in the Games. (GeekWire Photo \/ Kevin Lisota)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee officially welcomed the Special Olympians to the state. In addressing the crowd, Inslee said everything needs to be done to fight back against the \u201cdark forces\u201d of fear that work against inclusion in society.<\/p>\n

At the end of the Opening Ceremony, the Flame of Hope completed its journey to Seattle and into Husky Stadium. Jennifer Goodley, a 37-year-old powerlifter from Bremerton, Wash., took the final handoff and lit the official cauldron.<\/p>\n

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Special Olympics 2018 USA Games cauldron (GeekWire Photo \/ Kevin Lisota)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Griffin, the Seahawks\u2019 inspiring rookie, who had a hand amputated as a young child, then declared the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games officially open.<\/p>\n

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DJ Marshmello performs as one of the musical acts for the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics. (GeekWire Photo \/ Kevin Lisota)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you want to follow the Games more closely throughout the week, a new, free mobile app was launched over the weekend. The app, developed by AppInteract on Microsoft\u2019s Azure platform, features sports schedules, details on athletes and teams, venue information, events and news. Download for iOS<\/a> or Android<\/a>.<\/p>\n

ESPN will also provide in-depth coverage throughout the week on its app and on ESPN.com. And ESPN3 will carry live streaming coverage from swimming competition taking place at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center.<\/p>\n

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Special Olympics USA Games choir (GeekWire Photo \/ Kevin Lisota)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella addresses the crowd at the Opening Ceremony for the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games at Husky Stadium in Seattle on Sunday. (GeekWire Photo \/ Kevin Lisota) The 2018 Special Olympics USA Games opened in Seattle on Sunday at the University of Washington\u2019s Husky Stadium with a parade of athletes and musical […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":30016,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[50,194],"class_list":["post-30015","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-microsoft-news","tag-recent-news","tag-special-olympics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30015","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30015"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30015\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30016"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30015"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30015"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30015"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}