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| Day 1 of the Games | |||
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| Opening Ceremony | |||
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| A Sporting Chance | |||
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Day 1
Sunday 26th July 2009
FIRST DAY OF COMPETITION GETS UNDERWAY FOR THE ATHLETES
Following a spectacular Opening Ceremony enjoyed by 2,400 athletes, Rt Hon Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah Brown, Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell and Games Patron Martin Johnson; the first day saw Tim Shriver, CEO of Special Olympics International introduce the Young Athletes Programme and the National Summer Games sports events got underway.
At the heart of the Games Village 12 youngsters under seven performed a sports showcase to illustrate the Young Athletes Programme and engage families at the Games. The Programme introduces athletes with learning disabilities, aged two to seven, to the world of sport and develops cognitive skills.
Tim Shriver, CEO Special Olympics, said: ” I think the message of Young Athletes is that it is never too early to be prepared for sports, to enjoy play, to develop the skills of sport. The Young Athletes programme is not just a chance for people with learning disability to start early in what will become a full-blown Special Olympics experience, it’s also a chance to develop the critical capabilities in early childhood that will make it likely they will develop their full potential later in life.”
Highlights from the first day of sport include:
From the athletics Daniel Byron, 18 from Fife, took an early lead in the 800 metre race and managed to stave off competition in the last stretch to win his race. Daniel is hoping that this week will propel him into the national team ahead of the 2011 games in Athens.
Daniel said: “I think I did really well and I have a really good chance of doing well this week. I hope that I will be able to get into the national squad.”
Daniel also had the honour of meeting Gordon Brown at last night’s opening ceremony and hopes that the rest of the week’s games will bring him even more joy.
Finally from the basketball there was disappointment for the host region with East Midlands team losing their warm-up game to rivals the West Midlands. One of last night’s stars of the show, Lee Penfold, spoke of his disappointment but excitement for the Games.
Lee said: “It’s a shame that the we lost our first game but I’m so glad that the Games have finally started. To host the National Summer Games in our home city is fantastic.”
Special Olympics Great Britain is a charity that provides year-round sports training and competition to children and adults with learning disabilities. In addition to the 2400 athletes taking part, the city of Leicester also welcomes over 1,200 coaches, 6,000 families and over 1,500 volunteers. Nineteen venues across the region are playing host to the sporting events, with Leicester City Football Club the setting for the Games Village and the Universities of De Montfort and Leicester housing the athletes during Games week.
For all the latest results from the 2009 Special Olympics GB National Summer Games, click here
