Special Olympics GB announces team for Summer Games

Special Olympics GB has announced its team for the 2014 European Summer Games. A team of 48 athletes from across Great Britain has been chosen to represent the country at the Special Olympics European Summer Games in Belgium this September. The Special Olympics European Summer Games will open on 13th September and will run until the closing ceremony on 20th September 2014.

More than 2,000 athletes with intellectual (learning) disabilities from 58 European countries will take part in the following ten sports events:  Athletics, Artistic Gymnastics, Football, Bocce, Badminton, Unified Basketball, Cycling, Judo, Table Tennis and Swimming.

It is the European showpiece event for the Special Olympics, which is­ held every four years. Almost 1.2 million people in the UK (2% of the population) have an intellectual disability.

Minister for Sport Helen Grant welcomed the announcement of the GB Team, saying, “Congratulations to all those who have been selected to represent Special Olympics GB at the Special Olympics European Summer Games in Belgium. It will be a very proud moment for all the athletes to represent their country and I wish them all the best with their preparations before the Games begin in September.”

Special Olympics GB CEO Karen Wallin said: “I would like to congratulate every single member of our team who will represent Great Britain in Antwerp at the European Summer Games. We are proud of each and every athlete and we know they will strive to be the very best they can.  They will all try to bring home medals but, just as importantly, build new friendships and gain memories that will last a lifetime.

•If you would like to find out more about Special Olympics GB & their European Summer Games team, go to www.specialolympicsgb.org.uk.