Empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more. Transform lives through the joy of sport, creating inclusive communities around the world. These are the powerful, respective missions of Microsoft and the Special Olympics, and read side by side, it’s easy to see how working together, they can help nurture greatness.

Founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968, Special Olympics is the world’s largest sports organisation for the 200 million children and adults worldwide with intellectual disabilities.

Spanning all cultures, races and countries, the organisation supports 4.7 million athletes from 169 countries, and strives for athletes to empower themselves, encouraging them to see themselves for their abilities, growing their confidence through their accomplishments.

This year, the Special Olympics World Winter Games are running from 14-25 March, in Graz, Schladming and Ramsau in Austria – the country that hosted the very first Special Olympics World Winter Games held outside the US, in 1993.

Almost 2,700 athletes, 1,100 coaches and 3,000 volunteers have travelled to the mountains of Austria this year, and each and every one of them are pushing themselves to their ultimate limits.

Their journey has been one of hard work, dedication, perseverance and discipline, and no matter their respective outcomes or results, representing their country on the world stage is the highest honour in itself.

The road to the Games