Animated Google doodle celebrates start of special Olympics World Games

Google on Saturday rolled out an animated doodle to mark the start of the Special Olympics World Games, which will have more than 7,000 participants from 177 countries including the Philippines.

Visitors to Google's homepage will see an animated doodle featuring the events at the Games, and clicking on the doodle will lead to a Search Results page on the Games.



The Doodle team led by Ryan Germick sought to highlight the "circle of inclusion," which Google said represents the acceptance of all people with intellectual disabilities.

athletes in these games, as well as those who support them — the friends and mentors who helped carry the Olympic torch from its origin in Athens, Greece to its temporary home in Los Angeles, California," it said.

During the Games, Google said some "7,000 world-class athletes from 177 countries will compete in 25 events in a celebration of athleticism, teamwork and inclusion."

"A reminder of the universality of sport, this is an opportunity for athletes with disability to compete in one of humankind's greatest traditions," it added.

The games were created by Eunice Shriver in Chicago to give athletes with cognitive disabilities “the chance to play, the chance to compete and the chance to grow.”

Google said the events in the next nine days will challenge participants to push their bodies to the best of their capacity.

"They'll compete against odds and against one another to perform at their peak and to honor their unique gifts to the fullest," it said. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News