A team from Special Olympics Isle of Man consisting of 17 athletes and are attending their final training sessions this week before travelling to Antwerp, Belgium to represent the Isle of Man in the 2014 Special Olympics European Games taking place from September 09 -20.
Athletes from Special Olympics Isle of Man will compete in, Athletics, Aquatics, Bocce, Badminton, Cycling and Gymnastics.
Antwerp will welcome a total 2,000 athletes from 58 countries across Europe and Central Asia who will compete in a total of nine sports. This is the first time the European Games are being hosted in Antwerp, Belgium.
Director of Special Olympics Isle of Man, Beryl Wooldridge, spoke about the team’s preparations:
“Our athletes are very excited to travel to Antwerp and to represent their country. They have been training really hard and are looking forward to collecting some new medals and making new friends.
The European Games are a wonderful opportunity to showcase the Special Olympics movement and to celebrate the abilities and accomplishments of people with intellectual disabilities”.
The theme of the Games, ‘A Great Performance Deserves a Great Audience’, calls on celebrities, sport leaders, dignitaries and fans to all join together to support the Special Olympics movement.
Through sport we can promote a better world where every person regardless of their ability or disability, is accepted, welcomed and valued – a word of inclusion and mutual respect, without bias or prejudice.
1000 coaches, 4,000 volunteers, 300 officials, 300 medical staff and 2,500 family members are also expected to support the athletes during the competitions. The 2014 European Games will officially begin when the cauldron is lit on September 13th at the Opening Ceremony in Koning Goudewijin Stadion, Brussels by the ‘Flame of Hope’ which will have been carried by European Police Officers from Greece across 50 Belgium towns and cities before arriving in Brussels.
Some other Special Olympics activities taking place around the 2014 European Games will be a Host Town Programme (where athletes visiting from other countries will acclimatise in Belgium communities ahead of the Games), a Scientific Congress, a Family Forum, a Youth Summit and a Healthy Athlete Programme, providing free health screening to all athletes.
For more information on the 2014 Special Olympics European Games visit www.SO2014.com.
