Special Olympics at a glance

When: Through Aug. 2

About 6,500 athletes from 165 countries will compete in the World Games Special Olympics in Los Angeles. There will also be about 30,000 volunteers and 2,000 coaches participating. Athletes will be housed at UCLA and USC.

What:The World Games are part of the Special Olympics, founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, to “create a world that is not dominated by those who are excluded but by those who are included.” The biennial World Games are the flagship event of the Special Olympics. The World Games are the largest event hosted by Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympics.

Tickets: All competitions are free and open to the public.

Competitions and Locations:

Aquatics - Uytengsu Aquatics Center (USC)

Badminton - Los Angeles Convention Center

Basketball - Galen Center (USC)

Beach Volleyball - Alamitos Beach Volleyball Courts (Long Beach)

Bocce - Los Angeles Convention Center

Bowling - Lucky Strike Lanes (L.A. Live)

Cycling - Alamitos Beach (Long Beach)

Equestrian - Los Angeles Equestrian Center (Griffith Park)

Golf - Wilson & Harding Golf Courses (Griffith Park)

Gymnastics (Artistic & Rhythmic) - John Wooden Center (UCLA)

Half Marathon - Alamitos Beach (Long Beach)

Handball - Los Angeles Convention Center

Judo - Student Activities Center (UCLA)

Kayaking - Marine Stadium (Long Beach)

Open Water Swimming - Alamitos Beach (Long Beach)

Powerlifting - Los Angeles Convention Center

Roller Skating - Los Angeles Convention Center

Sailing - Belmont Pier (Long Beach)

Soccer (5 players) - Intramural Field (UCLA)

Soccer (7 players) - Balboa Sports Center (Encino)

Soccer (11 players) - Drake Stadium and North Athletic Field (UCLA)

Softball - Easton Stadium (UCLA)

Table Tennis - Los Angeles Convention Center

Tennis - Los Angeles Tennis Center (UCLA)

Track and field - Loker Stadium/Cromwell Field (USC)

Triathlon - Alamitos Beach (Long Beach)

Volleyball - Pauley Pavilion (UCLA)

How to be a volunteer: Go to www.la2015.org/volunteer to sign up.

For more information on the Special Olympics and to follow along throughout the week, go to www.latimes.com/sports/olympics for stories, interviews, videos and more.