Excitement continues to build with Games one year away

MEDICINE HAT – The countdown to the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games hit the one-year mark today, and preparations are in full swing as Medicine Hat gets ready for the biggest sporting event the city has ever hosted.

With more than 1,700 participants, at least 1,200 volunteers, plus friends and family, it’s no wonder local athletes like Christine Sullivan are so excited.

“I'm very happy,” said Sullivan, a veteran of numerous national and international Special Olympics competitions in powerlifting, swimming, and bowling. “I'm really proud we're having it.

“It's going to be really good.”

There’s no stopping the smile on Sullivan’s face, nor Games Organizing Committee Chairman Brian Varga. It’s been a long time coming for these games, which were originally scheduled for 2022 before COVID forced their cancellation. The Games run Aug. 11-15, 2026, but Varga remembers starting the bidding process way back in 2017.

“We've been working on it for a lot of years, so we're happy to take it on,” said Varga. “And, we're going to try and make it the best that it can be.

“We're going to be up for the challenge.”

The committee includes a handful of staff and dozens of volunteers already, and that number is set to skyrocket. Everything from food services, to running 10 sports, to sharing it all on social media will need support from when athletes arrive Aug. 9 to their departure Aug. 16.

Sponsors and donations are also needed for such a huge multi-sport event with a budget nearing $4 million. Information for those opportunities is available on the 2026 Games’ website, www.socmedhat2026.ca.

“We hope that as many people come out as possible to help us, make this the best event ever for Medicine Hat,” said Varga. “The biggest thing for the volunteers is that they come and have fun with the athletes over the six-day period.”

It’s hard not to have fun with Special Olympics athletes, who are the embodiment of living life to the fullest. Just thinking about their spirit moves folks like Varga to tears, inspired by both their desire to do their best and ability to support others around them while doing it.

“Until you experience the athletes that come to the games, how hard they compete and how happy they are, it's like none other,” he said. “It's a great experience for all the volunteers and for everybody involved because you see how hard they work. They're … they're special.”

Sullivan recently competed at the Alberta provincial championships in Grande Prairie and won three medals. While she won’t know for another month whether she qualifies as an athlete, there is an athlete ambassador program for those not competing, and at the very least she can’t wait to catch up with old friends from British Columbia to Newfoundland and all points in between.

“I'm hoping they have a good time in Medicine Hat,” she said. “I just want to tell them, enjoy Medicine Hat and … have lots of fun.”