Phelps joins Yao Ming and Kaka as Special Olympics envoy

1 Aug, 2011 13:22 / Updated 13 years ago

The Aquatics World Championships may be over but there's no time to rest for its quadruple medalist Michael Phelps, as the greatest-ever Olympian has been named a Global Ambassador for the Special Olympics.

These are the Games for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, which are also held on a four-year basis.The next Special Olympics, the 2013 Winter Games, will be staged in the South Korean city of Pyeongchang, which is also set to host the 2018 Winter Olympics proper.Fourteen-time Olympic gold medalist Phelps is joining the likes of retired basketball star Yao Ming and Real Madrid striker Kaka in a bid to raise awareness of the Special Olympics, while hoping to shine once again at the London Games next year…“I haven’t really felt the way I have in the water. I think, being able to get that back for the last six-eight months is going to play a huge factor in my performance next year,” he says.