Mohan Natarajan from Pollachi, Coimbatore, was very excited to see his 12-year-old daughter take part in the roller-skating competition at the Asia Pacific Down Syndrome Federation (APDSF) games, 2026, on Thursday in Chennai. The games, organised in association with Special Olympics Bharat, are aimed at bringing together athletes with Down Syndrome from across the Asia Pacific region to celebrate ability, determination and the spirit of sports. Further, sports provide them a platform for socialising and improving communication as they meet people from all walks of life. “Through games, there’s so much communication, socialising and discipline. When you look at a person with Down Syndrome, apart from the extra chromosome, there is hypotonia (low muscle tone).