Karen Pence to attend Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi

The wife of US Vice President Mike Pence also led the Presidential Delegation to the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria in 2017

United States Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence arrive at the airport in Warsaw, Poland two weeks ago. Michael Sohn / AP

Karen Pence, the Second Lady of the United States, will attend the Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi next month.

Writing on Twitter, Ms Pence, the wife of Vice President Mike Pence, said she was “honoured to represent the United States and lead the Presidential Delegation” for the World Games.

"Looking forward to a wonderful event and cheering on all the amazing athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Go @specialolyUSA" she wrote.

Ms Pence, who also led the Presidential Delegation to the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria in 2017, worked as a teacher for 25 years until she became the First Lady of Indiana in 2013.

She works with a number of charities, and has a particular interest in art therapy.

The Special Olympics, which begins in two weeks’ time, will be one of the largest sporting events in the world of 2019.

More than 7,500 athletes and 3,000 coaches from more than 190 nations will compete in 24 Olympic-style sports held in nine venues in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.