2025 Sports Celebrities Festival strengthens inclusion across B.C.

October 29, 2025

The 2025 Sports Celebrities Festival presented by Wheaton Precious Metals was an unforgettable evening, raising over $410,000 for Special Olympics BC to change lives across our province through the power and joy of sport.

This elegant, inspiring gala brought together B.C. sport and business leaders with Special Olympics BC athletes on October 23 at Vancouver’s Fairmont Pacific Rim to create courage, confidence, and community.

Over its 27-year history, the Sports Celebrities Festival has become known for its powerful demonstration of inclusion and respect for athletes with intellectual disabilities, and its far-reaching impact, having raised more than $11 million to date.

Hosted by Special Olympics BC athletes Susan Wang and Matthew Williams, the show featured a parade of Special Olympics athletes and sports celebrities, powerful speeches, live music, a delicious dinner, and more. Penny Oleksiak, Canada’s most decorated female Olympian, captivated the audience as keynote speaker. Attendees also got involved through the highly anticipated silent and live auctions, Palladio Jewellers Raffle, Heads & Tails game sponsored by Wheaton Precious Metals, and many generous donations during Fund a Need.

The proceeds of the event will help Special Olympics BC athletes play the sports they love and break down barriers by putting their abilities in the spotlight!

Find photos from the inspiring evening

Coralyn and Ramon are two proud volunteers and parents of accomplished Special Olympics BC athletes Ramon and Michael Siytangco. They spoke about the impact of Special Olympics not just on their sons, but on their whole family.

“Through Special Olympics, we didn’t just find sports programs. We found a community,” the Siytangcos said.

Special Olympics didn’t just change our sons’ lives – it empowered them to dream bigger, reach higher, and remind the world that ability always shines brighter than disability.

“Exposure to other athletes like him has also shaped his aspirations,” Coralyn and Ramon said about their son Ramon Siytangco. “Seeing peers hold jobs and live independently inspired him to enroll in post-secondary skills training, take on volunteer roles, and apply for part-time work.”

Penny Oleksiak, Canada’s most decorated female Olympian, captivated the audience as keynote speaker.

Oleksiak has been a valued member of the Special Olympics Canada Champions Network for a number of years, helping advance the mission of using the power and joy of sport to open hearts and minds to the abilities of individuals with intellectual disabilities and build inclusive communities.

“What stands out to me most is the genuine sense of connection and purpose that fills this room,” she said at the Sports Celebrities Festival.

“You can feel the energy, the positivity, and the commitment to making a difference. It’s clear that this is a community built on encouragement, inclusion, and shared values; the very things that have always meant so much to me throughout my own journey.”

Meet the Champions of Inclusion

The Sports Celebrities Festival changes lives and builds inclusion by helping Special Olympics BC offer year-round programs and competitive opportunities at low or no cost for athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities of all ages in more than 55 communities across the province.

Too often, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are left on the sidelines, resulting in painful impacts on their lives, health, and communities. Special Olympics BC and the Sports Celebrities Festival use the power of sport and joy of sport to open hearts and minds towards people with intellectual disabilities and create life-changing opportunities for Special Olympics athletes all across British Columbia.

A heartfelt thanks to all of the generous Sports Celebrities Festival sponsors, donors, celebrities, volunteers, and supporters who once again made this year’s event so successful.