Nickell Grabs the Gold in the Super G

It’s GOLD for DesaRae Nickell in her heat of the Super G at the Special Olympics World Games Torino 2025!!!! Nickell got down the hill in :48.91, .49 seconds faster than Silver Medalist Marene Jansen of The Netherlands. Larina Buechler of Switzerland took the Bronze. Nickell’s Special Olympics USA teammate Paige Ditzel finished fifth.

It is the second medal in as many races for Nickell, who overcame illness on the first day of the Games to be able to compete. She grabbed a Bronze Medal in the Giant Slalom yesterday.

DesaRae will ski in the Divisioning Round for her final event, the slalom, tomorrow. The slalom final will run on Saturday.

The Special Olympics World Winter Games continue through March 16, gathering over 1,500 athletes from 103 countries to compete in eight winter sports and showcase the determination of people with intellectual disabilities and the power of inclusion through sport. World Winter Games events will be held in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy.

ESPN’s television networks and digital platforms are brining extensive coverage to sports fans and supporters of the Special Olympics movement around the world. As the official global broadcast partner of Special Olympics, ESPN is delivering live and recorded highlights on its family of TV channels, the ESPN+ streaming service, ESPN3, ESPN.com and the ESPN App.

To follow Special Olympics USA, visit specialolympicsusa.org, join the email list, and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Hashtag: #Cheer4USA

For more information about the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games or DesaRae’s progress, contact Mark Buerger at mbuerger@soky.org or 502-695-8222.