Photos:: Special Olympics World Games -- Los Angeles 2015
LAX Airport Police Officer Adela Lopez high-fives a Special Olympics athlete from Cyprus as they head into the Tom Bradley Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport to catch a flight home on Monday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)An LAX Airport police officer patrols on his bike as Special Olympics athletes and their helpers from Cyprus head into the Tom Bradley Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport to catch a flight home on Monday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)An LAX Airport police officer watches as Special Olympics athletes and their helpers from Pakistan head into the Tom Bradley Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport to catch a flight home on Monday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)Special Olympics athletes and their helpers from Pakistan head into the Tom Bradley Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport to catch a flight home on Monday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)Special Olympics athletes and their helpers head into the Tom Bradley Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport to catch a flight home on Monday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)Special Olympics athletes from Austria head into the Tom Bradley Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport to catch a flight home on Monday.
For the record: An earlier version of this caption misidentified the Austrian athletes as Australian.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)A Special Olympics athlete from Austria totes a Mickey Mouse toy on the back of his back pack as he heads into the Tom Bradley Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport to catch a flight home on Monday.
For the record: An earlier version of this caption misidentified the Austrian athletes as Australian.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)The Syrian Special Olympics team walks out for the Special Olympics World Games Closing Ceremony at the Los Angles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Performer Carly Rae Jepsen poses for a selfie with Special Olympics athletes during the World Games Closing Ceremony at the Los Angles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)LAPD Lt. Clint Dohnen and Special Olympics athlete Destiny Sanchez retire the Flame of Hope, signifying the close of the Special Olympic World Games at Los Angles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Athletes show their appreciation for the host city at the closing ceremony of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Members of the Senegal Special Olympics team dance during the World Games Closing Ceremony at the Los Angles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Athletes and coaches migle and dance during a performance by Carly Rae Jepsen during the Special Olympics World Games Closing Ceremony at the Los Angles Memorial Coliseum.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Rio Anderson of Los Angeles dances with members of the Malaysia Special Olympics team while Carly Rae Jepsen performs during the Special Olympics World Games Closing Ceremony at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Carly Rae Jepsen sings during the Special Olympics World Games Closing Ceremony at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Members of the Canada Special Olympics team dance during the Special Olympics World Games Closing Ceremony at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)A group composed of athletes from different countries enters the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the Special Olympics World Games Closing Ceremony on Sunday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)The U.S. team’s Nikia Davenport competes in the powerlifting event at the Special Olympics in Los Angeles on Saturday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Canada’s Jackie Barrett squats 611 lbs. during the powerlifting competitIon at the Special Olympics in Los Angeles on Saturday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)A table tennis player from Mongolia holds her paddle up to the face after missing a shot in competition
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Table tennis player Janos Gulykas of Hungary serves the ball competition Friday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Runners sprint to the finish line in the 100m final during the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles on Friday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Gymnasts are introduced before competition on the fifth day of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games on Friday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Muhammed Valappil Meethalekunkante soars for a shot attempt against the United Arab Emirates men’s team during the fourth day of the Special Olympics World Games at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Thursday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Korea’s Haeun Park skates in the roller-skate relay during the fourth day of the Special Olympics World Games at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Thursday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Russia’s Aleski Izarov races to catch up to Germany’s Joel Kaiser during the fourth day of competition at the Special Olympics World Games at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Thursday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)United Arab Emirates athletes celebrate their win over the men’s team from India as one participant lies lies on the floor, dejected, during the fourth day of the Special Olympics World Games at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Serbia’s Repak Branko gets a shot off despite pressure from Bangladeshi players Thursday during the Special Olympics in Los Angeles.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)San Marino coach Sara Sergiani gets a kiss from gymnast Beatrice Cellarosi during the Special Olympics Thursday in Los Angeles.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Venezuelan gymnast Gabriela Siso smiles during competition Thursday at the Special Olympics in Los Angeles.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Mexico gymnast Gonzalo Alcazar competes on the rings Thursday during the Special Olympics in Los Angeles.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Cyprus gymanst Elena Antoniou high-fives a judge after her floor exercise Thursday at the Special Olympics in Los Angeles.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
American gymanst Simone Williams celebrates at the Special Olympics.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Leonid Karbin of Russia and Dimitri Muradov of Kazakhstan grapple during a judo match at the UCLA Student Activities Center gymnasium on July 29 in Los Angeles.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Robin Gerritsen of the Netherlands is congratulated by Brazilian coach Ricardo Oliveira after Gerritsen was defeated by Breno Viola Cunha a judo match at the UCLA Student Activities Center gymnasium on July 29 in Los Angeles.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Pakistan’s Ramail Irshad celebrates after winning the 200-meter final in division 46 during the Special Olympics in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Germany’s Grietje Kurtzweg makes a throw in the shotput competition during the Special Olympics in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)The U.S. team’s Theodore Bazile takes off from the starting blocks in the 200-meter final during the Special Olympics in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Allison Christina Mackenzie of Britain performs with a ribbon during Session 11, Level 4, of the rhythmic gymnastics competition at UCLA’s John Wooden Center on July 28.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Svetlana Lebedeva of Russa performs with clubs during Session 11, Level 4, of the rhythmic gymnastics competition.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Christina Judd Campbell of Canada performs with a ribbon at the Wooden Center.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)USA’s Thomas Baker raises his arms after completing a dead lift to win the gold medal in the powerlifting combination competition in Los Angeles on July 28.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Thomas Baker gets a hug from his niece Maddison Surles, 12, after winning the gold medal.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)China’s Yu Zhou bites her silver medal she won in the Division 4 300-meter roller skating competiton on July 28.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Britain’s James Crossley makes a dead lift during the powerlifting combination competiton.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)An official dusts off a barbell during the dead lift competiton.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)A volunteer prepares to hand out a medal to the winner in the 300-meter roller-skating competion.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)A cyclist is reflected in a building window as he competes in the cycling competition along Shoreline Drive in Long Beach.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)A cyclist from Greece races along Shoreline Drive.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Germany’s Sebastian Girke takes the early lead in the 500m kayaking competiton during the Special Olympics in Long Beach.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)A swimmer competes in the 100m freestyle in the Special Olympics at USC Monday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Belgium’s Nina Schelles celebrates her win in the Special Olympics at USC Monday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)A swimmer warms-up before competing in the Special Olympics at USC Monday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Athletes warm up before competing in the rhythmic gymnastics of the Special Olympics at UCLA on Monday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Mexico’s Asherat Ceja gets a hug from coaches after competing in the rhythmic gymnastics of the Special Olympics at UCLA.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Puerto Rico gymnasts, from left, Eugenia Farinacci, Nioshka Rodas and Valeria Vasquez pray before competing in the rhythmic gymnastics of the Special Olympics at UCLA.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Fans watch the rhythmic gymnastics competition in the Special Olympics at UCLA.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Puerto Rico gymnast Eugenia Farinacci prepares for competition in the rhythmic gymnastics of the Special Olympics at UCLA.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)USA medal winners Amy Noctor, left, and Courtney Dreyfus, right hug gold medal winner Florencia Barranque after the triathlon competition of the Special Olympics in Long Beach on Sunday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Spectators cheer as the winner of the women’s division, Florencia Barranque, from Uruguay, runs next to teamate Damian Barrera as they cross the finish line in the triathlon during the Special Olympics in Long Beach on Sunday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Spectators cheer on athletes from the men’s division of the triathlon during the Special Olympics in Long Beach on Sunday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Athletes from the women’s division of the triathlon jump into the water for the first leg of the race during the Special Olympics in Long Beach on Sunday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Medals at the finish line for the triathlon before they are passed out during the Special Olympics in Long Beach on Sunday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Athletes from the men’s division of the triathlon jump into the water for the first leg of the race during the Special Olympics in Long Beach on Sunday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Costa Rica’s Bryan Alvarado crosses the finish line of the triathlon during the Special Olympics in Long Beach on Sunday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Women’s division winner Florencia Barranque, from Uruguay, gets a hug from her team after the triathlon during the Special Olympics in Long Beach on Sunday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)The lighting of the torch kicks off the the Special Olympics World Games during the opening ceremony on Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)First lady Michelle Obama helps open the Special Olympics World Games during the opening ceremony on Saturday at the Coliseum. Approximately 6,500 athletes from 165 countries will participate.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)The team from Greece makes its entrance during the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics World Games on Saturday at the Coliseum.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)A cheerleader walks the red carpet after a performance before the opening ceremony Saturday for the Special Olympics World Games at the Coliseum. More than 60,000 are expected to attend the opening ceremony.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Athletes and coaches from Australia wave to the crowd as they enter the Coliseum on Saturday during the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics World Games.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)The Colombian national team arrives at Loyola Marymount University to check-in for the Special Olympics World Games on Tuesday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)The team from Colombia is greeted by well-wishers, volunteers and staff after disembarking from the bus at Loyola Marymount University.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)The team from Macau are greeted at Loyola Marymount University by cheerleaders from Chaminade College Preparatory School. The Special Olympics World Games begin Saturday and run to Aug. 2.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)National Guard members of the 2668 Transportation Company out of Orville, Calif., help with luggage Tuesday as teams from around the world arrive at Loyola Marymount University to check-in for the Special Olympics World Games.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Members of the Brazilian Special Olympics team greet fellow their teammates at Loyola Marymount University.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Daniel Souza of Brazil cheers as he and teammates play midway games at Pacific Park on Santa Monica Pier.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Athlete Jazmine Slama and police officer Sebastian Charleboi hold up the Special Olympics torch during the Law Enforcement Torch Run at Venice Beach on Thursday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Special Olympian Florin Dinu of Romania, along with Romanian teammates and Brazilian team members, cheer and dance Thursday beneath the Brazilian flag on Santa Monica Pier.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Michael Silva of Brazil looks out at the waters off Santa Monic Pier on Thursday. Santa Monica, the host city of the Brazilian and Romanian Special Olympics teams, treated the delegations to a day at the pier’s Pacific Park.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Everton Silva of Brazil and teammates ride the West Roller Coaster at Santa Monica Pier.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)The team from South Africa is greeted as they arrive at Loyola Marymount University on Tuesday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)New Zealand team members perform the Haka, a traditional ancestral war cry, dance or challenge from the Maori people.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Julian Flores and his Colombian teammates exercise with staff members of the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Wednesday. The Special Olympics World Games run from Saturday to Aug. 2 at venues around the greater Los Angeles area.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Jamaican athletes play soccer outside the Forum in Inglewood on Wednesday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Daniela Brandt of Pennsylvania, left, and Loretta Mackey, a police officer from the Bahamas, carry the Special Olympics torch while participating in the Law Enforcement Torch Run on Wednesday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Members of the Jamaican team line up Wednesday as part of drills at the Forum in Inglewood.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Jessica Pereira is all smiles after finishing yoga with instructors Denise Waling, right, and Elena Schubert, not pictured, in Santa Monica,
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Diane Santos stretches with her Brazilian teammates and the team from Romania in Santa Monica on Wednesday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Yoga instructor Elena Schuber and the teams from Brazil and Romania stretch in Santa Monica.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Delegation liaison Djordijana Konstantinovich gets a hug from Colombia’s Julian Flores after the Colombian team arrived at Loyola Marymount University on Tuesday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)