By Oliver Trust

BERLIN, June 17 (Xinhua) -- As former NBA luminary Dirk Nowitzki was introduced as one of the "Friends of the Games" at the 2023 Special Olympics in Berlin, he appeared enveloped by pleasant memories.

"Thinking about today's opening ceremony strongly reminds me of the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, where I had the honor of carrying the German flag. That is an experience I will never forget in my life," said the former Dallas Mavericks player, confessing he was "terribly nervous and excited."

Approaching his 45th birthday next Monday, Nowitzki has made it to the Olympic Games only once. "Even though it was 15 years ago, I still get goosebumps running over my back when I think about it."

The most successful NBA point scorer born outside the United States, with 31,560 points in 1,522 games spanning 21 seasons, spoke about his dream-like experience.

"When I heard fans and teammates chanting, 'We want to see the flag,' it was fantastic to be there. We had to wait for a while as we were one of the last according to the Chinese alphabet (characters' strokes)."

Nowitzki, a 2011 NBA champion, hopes the Berlin Games will draw additional attention to athletes with disabilities and that more clubs will provide them opportunities to participate in sports.

"Sport is a source of education and personal development for all people. Everyone benefits greatly from the values of sports," said the former 14-time All-Star.

The main purpose for athletes in Berlin is to participate, he added. "Sports can unite people. I hope we can all together have a great festival," Nowitzki expressed.

A staggering 7,000 athletes from 190 countries and regions are competing in 26 different disciplines in the Berlin Olympic Stadium and other venues throughout the German capital.

This makes it the most substantial multi-sports event in Germany since the 1972 Olympic Games held in Munich. In addition to the traditional competitions, 16 events under the motto "Unified Sports" will showcase the value of inclusive sports, where athletes with or without disabilities compete on one team.

"The Berlin Games underscore the importance of inclusive sports," Nowitzki said.

The former basketball professional spoke about everyone's obligation to provide support, as "the Games deliver the chance for disabled people to compete on a high level, living the Olympic ideals we all share." Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)