Special Olympics Speed Skating is a series of speed skating events where all competitors have physical or mental disabilities.

Special Olympic speed skating is a form of speed skating meant for athletes with physical or mental disabilities. Speed skating is a sport for Special Olympics athletes of all ages, and a popular form of competition that showcases strength and coordination. In fast heats, Special Olympics speed skaters can reach speeds of up to 32 km/h.

The goal of speed skating is to complete a race in the shortest amount of time.

According to the rules of the International Skating Union, a standard track should be either 400 m or 333 m long; 400 m is the standard used for all major competitions. Tracks of other, non-standard lengths, such 200 or 250 m, are also in use in some places for training and/or smaller local competitions. On standard tracks, the curves have a radius of 25–26 m in the inner lane, and each lane is 3–4 m wide. All races are held in pairs, for which two lanes on the track are used. Skaters wear bands around their upper arm to identify which lane they started in. The colors are white for inner lane and red for outer lane. At the back straight, the skaters switch lanes, which causes them both to cover the same distance per lap. When both skaters emerge from the corner at the exact same time, the person currently in the inner lane will have to let the outer lane pass in front of him.

Speed skating first became a part of the Special Olympics at the 1977 World Winter Games. By the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, nearly 200 athletes competed in speed skating competition.

Clap Skates
Skating Suit
Protective Eyeware

Special Olympics also offers events for lower ability level athletes to train and compete in basic speed skating skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to longer competitive events.

Training for speed skating is focused on improving the skaters speed and developing the proper form necessary to achieve a consistent and fast run. For skaters competing in longer distance races, another aspect of training is developing the stamina needed to complete a race.

http://www.specialolympics.org/Special+Olympics+Public+Website/English/Coach/Sports_Offered/Speed+Skating.htm