• Lindsay Czarniak and Kevin Neghandhi host coverage at 7 p.m. ET
• ESPN.com coverage continues with powerful features
• ESPN Images capturing the action of the World Games

ESPN’s global coverage of 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles, the largest sporting and humanitarian event in 2015, began with live coverage of the Games’ star-studded Opening Ceremony on Saturday, July 25.

Each night throughout the Games, ESPN’s Lindsay Czarniak and Kevin Neghandhi will host, Special Olympics World Games LA 2015, being produced from ESPN’s downtown Los Angeles Production Center.  The show includes interviews with athletes and special guests, as well as a daily “competition showcase” segment that will feature play-by-play calls from the day’s action by ESPN’s Jason Benetti and reporting from Paralympic gold medal swimmer Victoria Arlen.  In addition, reports from ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap and Marty Smith, as well as Special Olympics Global Messenger Dustin Plunkett will contribute to ESPN’s coverage. 

On tonight’s show:

• UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL – New Jersey Triathletes: ESPN’s Marty Smith tells the story of a New Jersey Triathlon team and coach, as the sport makes its Special Olympics World Games debut in 2015.
• WORDS HURT: in a powerful essay, Jeremy Schaap examines the power of words, and how we – unfortunately – often use them to hurt each other.
• TRIPLE OLYMPIANS: Paralympic medalist Victoria Arlen sits down poolside with Olympic legend Michael Phelps and Canadian Special Olympics Swimmer Kelsey Wyse.
• COMPETITION SHOWCASE: Jason Benetti and Victoria Arlen provide coverage from the swimming competitions at USC’s Uytengsu Aquatic Center.

ICYMI:  For those that missed yesterday’s Special Olympics World Games LA 2015, highlights included:

• HOMETOWN HEROES – TIM SHRIVER: Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts spoke with Tim Shriver, Chairman of Special Olympics International, about how much the movement his mother started has grown over more than 40 years and how she trusted sports to be a revolutionary tool.  HERE
• ESPN SPORT SCIENCE – JACKIE BARRETT: The team at Sport Science examines the strength of Canadian power lifter Jackie Barrett, who squats more than 500 pounds and deadlifts nearly 600. HERE

ESPN DIGITAL FEATURES & COVERAGE
ESPN.com’s extensive coverage of the Special Olympics World Games, continues with news and feature stories examining the people and topics of the Special Olympics World Games, the wider movement, exclusive athlete blogs, photo galleries and an extensive lineup of video features.

Among the highlighted coverage, is:

• THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD: When athlete Chevi Peters felt his weakest, he wanted to “end it all” — until Special Olympics powerlifting helped him find his strength. HERE
• MEET THE ATHLETES: Portraits of Special Olympics athletes from around the world. HERE
• ‘ALL I EVER DID WAS TEACH A CHILD WITH AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY TO SWIM.’ That was Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s response to her son, Tim Shriver, when he was trying to convince her to write a book.  ESPN’s Melissa Isaacson talks to Tim and Maria Shriver about how they, along with star athletes like Michael Phelps and Abby Wambach, are continuing their mother’s message of inclusion. HERE

PHOTOGRAPHIC COVERAGE
ESPN Images and ESPN Digital Media photographers are capturing photos from around the Special Olympics World Games throughout the week, including these:

The full collection of ESPN Images photos from the event, available for use in editorial coverage, can be found here: http://bit.ly/1TZgIuh

COVERAGE SCHEDULE

ESPN and The Special Olympics
ESPN is proud of its relationship with the Special Olympics, which spans more than 30 years. It is the official media partner of the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015, and along with ABC, the Unified Relay Across America presented by Bank of America – which carried the Flame of Hope to Los Angeles. Additionally, since 2013 ESPN has been the Global Presenting Sponsor and Official Media Sponsor of Special Olympics Unified Sports, which bring athletes with and without intellectual disabilities together as teammates.

ESPN’s support of the Special Olympics is part of The Walt Disney Company’s company-wide support, which includes Disney’s role as a Founding Champion of the LA2015 World Games.

Being a good corporate citizen is a time-honored tradition at both ESPN and the wider Walt Disney Company.

ESPN believes that, at its very best, sports uplifts the human spirit. Its corporate citizenship programs use power of sport to positively address society’s most pressing needs through strategic community investments, cause marketing programs, collaboration with sports organizations and employee volunteerism, while also utilizing its diverse media assets. For more information go to www.espn.com/citizenship.

The Walt Disney Company, through contributions, collaborations with local organizations, in-kind gifts and volunteering, helps to brighten the lives of kids and families in need and strengthen communities around the world. In 2013, the Company donated nearly $370 million in cash, in-kind support and products, and Disney VoluntEARS gave over 667,000 hours of service. For more information visit, thewaltdisneycompany.com/citizenship or twitter.com/disneycitizenship.

Contact: Paul Melvin (860-766-5069 or [email protected] )