|
|
DISABILITY NEWS | |||||
| Swimming
Disability |
SUSSEX PARALLEL YOUTH GAMES The third Sussex Parallel Youth Games will take place at Olympos, Burgess Hill on Wednesday 11 June 2008. The event brings over 300 children from special schools across Sussex to compete in a variety of sports including Boccia, New Age Kurling, Swimming, Wheelchair Basketball and Cricket. Participants are encouraged to enter sports by their teachers that they already play at their schools and the standard of entry is very high. Hamilton Lodge School, winners from the 2006 Parallel Games Boccia competitions went onto win the regional Boccia Competition late that year. With support from Mid Sussex District Council the event takes place at Olympos, Burgess Hill. The centre is well equipped for such an event with an adjustable swimming pool and excellent disabled welfare facilities. Olympos Burgess Hill is part of the Gatwick Diamond Gold Consortium a group of venues from Mid Sussex listed in the 'Pre-Games Training Camp Guide', which will be available from August to aid National Olympic Committees and National Paralympic Committees to identify suitable facilities and sites for their training camps. It will be distributed following the handover of the Olympic flame from Beijing to London. For our potential Paralympians this is a fantastic opportunity to compete where their hero's may train! A visit from a Sporting Champions really helps the children see what they can achieve. Previous Champions have included Judy Oakes and Helen Reeves and we are looking forward to seeing who we will have this year. The event is run by the Sussex County Sports Partnership Trust with volunteer Junior Sports Leadership Awards (JSLA) students from Imberhorne School and members of American Express 'Good Citizen Scheme'. Richard Cabon, Minister for Sport 2001-2007 said "The Sussex Parallel Youth games has real power to engage, unite and motivate young disabled people in Sussex. Events such as this are vital in the drive to encourage participation in sport by providing and enjoyable and memorable sporting experience."
|
