If the London 2012 Games have left you inspired and hungry for more Olympic action then get ready for the Special Olympics.
The 2013 National Summer Games are to be held in Bath for the first time in the event’s nine-year history, Special Olympics GB have announced.
The sports village at The University of Bath, which was used as a base for a number of countries competing at London 2012, will host the majority of the 12-sport event.
Special Olympics GB is the largest registered charity providing year round sports training and competition opportunities for people with intellectual (learning) disabilities.
The National Summer Games will be held from Wednesday August 28 to Sunday September 1, with over 1,700 athletes set to take part in competition in athletics, artistic gymnastics, football, boccia, badminton, short-mat bowls, golf, rhythmic gymnastics, table tennis, ten pin bowling, tennis and swimming.
“Over 1,700 athletes and 500 voluntary coaches - supported by a further 500 volunteers and estimated 5,000 family members - will be heading to Bath for our biggest national event which takes place every four years,” said Karen Wallin, Special Olympics GB’s CEO.
“This is a very significant sporting event and will require a large amount of assistance and energy from the local population to ensure the most successful and memorable event possible for our athletes, their families and the City.”
Special Olympics GB’s National Summer Games is the showpiece event every four years for the organisation and its athletes. Almost 1.2 million people in the UK (2 per cent of the population) have an intellectual disability.
In this country, Special Olympics Great Britain (SOGB) serves over 8,000 registered athletes annually through almost 150 volunteer-led local clubs and 19 regions. SOGB is a registered charity and is supported annually by individual and corporate donations.
The year-round sports coaching and events provided by Special Olympics are clinically proven to positively change the quality of lives for people with intellectual disabilities.
Research from Canterbury Christchurch University showed that those who did participate in Special Olympics had a higher self-esteem than those who did not take part. Higher self-esteem leads to more feelings of self-worth and more self-care. Findings also concluded that those involved in Special Olympics had wider social networks and lower stress levels.
For more information visit www.specialolympicsgb.org.uk.
Jessica Whittington, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
