Princess Charlene inaugurates inclusive Princess Charlene European Swimming Meet
Princess Charlene was all smiles at the inauguration, here with Pierre Van Klaveren © Philippe Fitte / Prince’s Palace
The event brings together top level athletes with a mental disability.
This weekend, the Centre Nautique Albert II hosted the second edition of the ‘Princess Charlene European Swimming Meet’, an event organised by the Special Olympics non-profit.
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The event drew Europe’s top 200 athletes with a mental disability, led by local talent Clément Collon, a Monegasque swimmer who was visibly enthusiastic about the event: “Between judo and swimming, I’ve lost count of the medals I’ve won!” He told Monaco Info that he has been “swimming since I was a child, at school and at lessons.”
The Princely Couple, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene, where there to support the athletes. Princess Charlene had the honour of inaugurating the edition that bears her name, and kicking off the European event.
Created in 1968 in the United States and introduced in Europe in 1980, Special Olympics strives to help integrate people with disabilities into society through sport. Monaco, along with Belgium and Ireland, was one of the first countries to join the movement, initially under the presidency of Mireille Calmes, then Pierre Van Klaveren.
This year’s event took several months to organise and required the assistance of around a hundred volunteers to run an event that first took place in Monaco ten years ago.
