Special Olympics World Games LA 2015 on ESPN – Friday, July 31

July 31, 2015

Special Olympics World Games LA 2015 on ESPN – Friday, July 31

• Lindsay Czarniak and Kevin Neghandhi host coverage at 7 p.m. ET
• Expanded 1 hour program tonight and Saturday
• com coverage continues with powerful features and competition showcase
• 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 24.

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, ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap and Marty Smith, as well as Special Olympics Global Messenger Dustin Plunkett will contribute to ESPN’s coverage.

Tonight and Saturday’s (Aug. 1) editions of Special Olympics World Games LA 2015 will be one hour long.

Scheduling change note:  The Best of Special Olympics World Games LA2015 program originally scheduled for August 7 at 7 p.m. will now air on August 6 at 8 p.m. See full schedule details below.

On Friday night’s show:

• THE STATE OF ID: A powerful feature, narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Julianne Moore, examines the state of those with intellectual disabilities around the world.
• UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL – Left without supervision and sometimes without food, Andrew Smiley found a life in a foster home and in the water of the Cayman Islands. Now he has come to Los Angeles for his fourth World Games for a chance to take home gold for his Island nation.
• COMPETITION SHOWCASE: Jason Benetti and Victoria Arlen provide coverage highlights from Track and Field competitions.

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

• “BRAVE IN THE ATTEMPT”: In its digital debut on Grantland, this 30 For 30 Short, executive produced by Maria Shriver and directed by Peabody- and Emmy-winning filmmaker Fritz Mitchell, tells the story of the vision and courage of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the founding force behind Special Olympics.  WATCH IT IN FULL HERE.
• EMOTIONAL RESULTS: Olivia Quigley is at these World Games trying to outrun her competitors, perceptions of people with autism, and stage four breast cancer; Andy Miyares helped his USA team to silver in the 4 x 100 freestyle relay in the pool, and then told ESPN’s Victoria Arlen how much it meant. HERE
• HOOP LIFE: Abel Mehari has found joy, health and friendship through basketball, as he explains to ESPN’s Marty Smith who introduces viewers to the Minnesota athlete. 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:

• ILLNESS CAN’T STOP ALYSSA SIMS: Battling the flu, Special Olympics gymnast Alyssa Sims had to put her natural perseverance to the test on the big stage at the World Games. HERE

• FINDING HIS SMILE THROUGH VOLLEYBALL: Despite his loving and supportive family, Dalvin Keller didn’t truly feel like himself until he joined a volleyball team at his new school. That extended family “changed his life.” HERE

PHOTOGRAPHIC COVERAGE

PHOTO ESSAY: Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles, Day 5 in photos.

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

Long Beach, CA – July 30, 2015 – Marine Stadium: Athlete participating in kayaking during the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games
(Photo by Kohjiro Kinno / ESPN Images)

Los Angeles, CA – July 28, 2015 – Los Angeles Convention Center: Powerlifting during the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games
(Photo by Scott Clarke / ESPN Images)

Los Angeles, CA – July 30, 2015 – Easton Stadium: Athletes from Russia participating in volleyball during the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games
(Photo by Scott Clarke / ESPN Images)

Los Angeles, CA – July 30, 2015 – Easton Stadium: Portrait of Dalvin Kellar of the United States volleyball team during the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games
(Photo by Scott Clarke / ESPN Images)

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

** NOTE:  the Aug. 1 program on ABC will air at 4 p.m. ET except on the west coast, where it will begin at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT)

ESPN and The Special Olympics
Disney and ESPN have long supported 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 ESPN. The company 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. For more information visit, thewaltdisneycompany.com/citizenship or twitter.com/disneycitizenship.

Contact: Paul Melvin (860-766-5069 or paul.melvin@espn.com )