Special Olympics “Road to the 2022 USA Games” Fitness Challenge: A Process Evaluation

This process evaluation assessed the feasibility of a 20-week step challenge at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Par-ticipants aimed to achieve a 1 million-step goal using a mobile app and received weekly health education lessons. Data from administrative records, the app, emails, and post-challenge surveys were analyzed. A total of 1,139 athletes with intellectual disabilities and 623 delegates participated, representing 37.6% and 32.3% reach, respectively. Median participation was 19 weeks. Survey results showed high satisfaction (98.7%), interest in future challenges (93%), increased activ-ity levels (80.5%), and technology assistance needs (71.2%). This evaluation demonstrates the feasibility and benefits of large-scale fitness challenges for individuals with intellectual disabilities, informing future initiatives to enhance participation and technology accessibility.