Special Olympics North West England athlete Stephanie Gott is starring in an illustrated children’s book that brings to life her incredible journey in figure skating.
Designed for children aged three to six years old, Stephanie is one of four Special Olympics Europe Eurasia athletes who competed at the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025 to have her story told in print.
“It’s amazing to see my story shared in a way that children can relate to,” said Stephanie.
I hope that children who read the book realise that even big dreams can start with small steps and that you are never alone when overcoming challenges.
The 20-page book follows Stephanie’s early life and the challenges that she faced at school, and the remarkable change that was brought about when her sister gave her ice skating lessons as a birthday present. It climaxes with her preparation and performance at Turin 2025, and the personal lessons that she learned from the Games.
In addition to printed versions, perfect for schools, libraries, and family reading, digital versions will be freely available on the Special Olympics International website.
Alongside Stephanie’s book, there are books depicting the story of fellow athletes Eros Zanotti (Italy, cross-country skiing), Anca Miron (Romania, snowshoeing), and Marcel Schilling (Switzerland, snowboarding). All four books have been supported by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme.
“Through these books, Special Olympics aims to show children that inclusion strengthens communities,” says David Evangelista, Special Olympics International President & CEO.
“We hope these stories inspire our youngest audiences with determination, empathy, and self-confidence. We also hope that it introduces them to the values of sport and teamwork. We are grateful to the European Union for supporting this initiative, which helps create opportunities for children across Europe to learn, grow, and celebrate diversity from an early age.”
In addition to the books, Special Olympics Europe Eurasia has released the trailer for the documentary ‘Unified by Sports: The Special Olympics Journey.’
The documentary captures the experiences of Stephanie, and the three other athletes, in Turin 2025 in an emotionally engaging film, providing audiences of all ages a deeper perspective on the power of sports.
Together, the children’s books and documentary form part of Special Olympics Europe Eurasia’s broader ‘Unified by Sport’ campaign to raise awareness and celebrate the achievements of athletes with intellectual disabilities across Europe and the world. It aims to reach families, schools, and communities, fostering understanding and inspiring future generations to embrace inclusion through sports.
The 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games took place in Turin, Italy, between 8 – 15 March, with over 1,500 athletes from around 100 nations competing across eight sports: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, dance sport, figure skating, floorball, short track speed skating and snowboard.