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Special Olympics NY Sends Delegation of 23 to Italy for World Games

A Dream Come True for Athletes, Partners, & Coaches from New York

Albany, NY – Special Olympics New York is thrilled to send 23 athletes, partners, and coaches to compete for the gold on the world stage as members of Special Olympics USA. This 160-member delegation that will participate in Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy, March 8 – 16, 2025.

“This is a dream come true for our athletes,” said Special Olympics New York President & CEO Stacey Hengsterman. “We are proud to have more World Games representatives than any other state in country, and we know they’re going to make us proud. Let’s go, Special Olympics USA!”

Representing New York as part of Special Olympics USA are:

  • Alpine Skier Liza Ambrosini of Queensbury: Liza has competed in alpine skiing and tennis for 13 years, earning medals at the local, regional, super-regional, state levels, and national levels. “Through my sports, I’ve become a leader,” she says. “I’ve learned to be a good sport and stay calm, even if I lose.”
  • Alpine Skier Paige Ditzel of Fairport: Paige joined Special Olympics at eight-years-old and never looked back. Beyond alpine skiing, she competes in bowling, basketball, flag football, snowshoeing, and soccer. She’s also a member of the Genesee Region Athlete Leadership Council.
  • Figure Skater Cori Piels of Rochester: Cori has been training and competing with Special Olympics NY for more than 20 years as a figure skater. She has competed locally, regionally, and nationally, bringing home numerous gold medals along the way. Cori is an athlete leader, determined to educate the world about acceptance, inclusion, diversity, and how to live a healthy and fun life.
  • Figure Skater Matthew Gabello of Rochester: With a whopping 55 gold medals to date, Matthew is looking to add more in Torino. Beyond sports, Matthew is very active in his community, volunteering at his local church and with the Knights of Columbus. He also holds a job bottling, grinding, and packaging spices for the military.
  • Figure Skater Ryan Chin of Wappingers Falls: In 2016, Ryan attended his first Special Olympics event. Instantly captivated by the atmosphere, he has since dedicated eight years to competing, consistently achieving gold medals at every level. He’s looking to add more at the World Games level.
  • The Northeast Knights Unified Floorball Team, from Hudson Valley Region: The Knights are the only Unified floorball team from the United States competing in Italy. They just won gold at States, and they’re looking for more on the world stage.
  • Law Enforcement Torch Runners Athlete Jacob Babcock of Rochester and LT. Shaun Cuddeback of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Dept.: Jacob and Shaun will join Special Olympics athletes and Law Enforcement Officers from around the globe for the Final Leg Torch Run. They’ll carry the Flame of Hope to help kick off the competition.
  • Coaches Martha Pachuta, Megan Gorski, Nicole Fess, Joe Bellini, Nancy Bellini, Ellen Pikula, and Chris Johnson, and Sport Manager Stacy Eder: These hardworking coaches and staff are united from all over New York State to ensure our athletes have the very best chance at success.

Learn more about New York’s representatives here.

As with all Special Olympics New York opportunities, World Games travel and competition will be provided at no cost to those participating. To learn more about how you can support New York’s athletes or get involved in fundraising, please visit: specialolympicsNY.org/2025-world-games/.

Special Olympics USA is comprised of 101 athletes and Unified partners, 32 coaches and 27 support staff. Athletes from throughout the country and the world will compete in eight sports: Alpine Skiing, Cross Country Skiing, DanceSport, Figure Skating, Floorball, Snowboarding, and Speedskating.

About Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025

Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025 will take place from March 8 -16, 2025, gathering more than 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 television networks and digital platforms will bring extensive coverage to sports fans and supporters of the Special Olympics movement around the world during World Games Turin 2025. As the official global broadcast partner of Special Olympics, ESPN will deliver live and recorded highlights on its family of TV channels, the ESPN+ streaming service, ESPN3, ESPN.com and the ESPN App. To learn more about the Special Olympics USA delegation, visit www.specialolympicsusa.org.

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