Friday, 29 August 2008
Golden girl of the Olympic pool, Rebecca Adlington officially opened the UK School Games at last night's opening ceremony which saw the 2008 athletes parade with their home teams and a dazzling display of Cirque Bijoux accompanied by fireworks.
Also parading at the opening ceremony were twelve famous Olympic and Paralympic athletes, including our Vice President and Olympic swimming gold medalist Duncan Goodhew, Paralympic swimmer Giles Long, Olympic judo medallist Kate Howey and gymnast Annika Reeder.
The ceremony included a welcome for the 1,500 elite athletes, competing in nine sports across three days of competition, from MP Kevin Brennan, before the recent British Olympic heroine took to the stage to declare the event underway.
Adlington, who historically became the first British woman since Anita Lonsborough in 1960 to win an Olympic swimming title, said: "I think the UK School Games is a fantastic event and having the ability to compete in a multi-sport competition will only help these young athletes for the future."
Rebecca became the 400m freestyle champion on day three of the Beijing Olympics, which she followed by smashing the world record for 800m freestyle to take her second gold medal and help Team GB to an overall haul of 47 medals, including 19 golds.
Swimming will feature prominently at the UK School Games, with two days of competition held at Millfield School today and tomorrow and the 19-year-old said: "The UK School Games is the first major competition in the London Olympiad. What an exciting event and I wish all the athletes who are competing the best of luck."
Record numbers are competing in Bath and Bristol this year, where the new sport of hockey will join competition in badminton, judo, volleyball, athletics, fencing, gymnastics, swimming and table tennis, with disability events in athletics, swimming and table tennis also included.
Jason Gardener, known as the 'Bath Bullet' throughout his athletics career, hailed the opportunity available for young sports competitors to excel:
"I am delighted to be supporting the UK School Games, which this year takes place in my home town of Bath and Bristol. The event is a unique opportunity for everyone to see how much young sporting talent we have in the UK across a range of sports, while the athletes will get the chance to experience a major multi-sport event."
This year's event, which runs until Sunday 31 August, promises to be bigger and better than before.