Special Olympics Gibraltar 39th National Games coming up next week

The 39th National Games of Special Olympics Gibraltar (SOG) will kick off next week with the Opening Ceremony taking place in the Lathbury Sports Complex on Wednesday, June 26 from 6 pm.
A spokesperson explained, “the Special Olympics flag will be raised and the Olympic cauldron lit following the Law Enforcement Torch Run around the streets of Gibraltar with the flame collecting money for SOG. SOG will be joined by their usual adversaries, a team from Special Olympics Isle of Man, for the ceremony and the athletics competition immediately afterwards. This will be followed on Thursday by the 5-a-side football competition where the teams will also face competition from a team from Algeciras.
“On Thursday afternoon there will be an extended bocce competition from 4pm on the new courts in the Special Olympics Sports Complex, with bowling on the Friday morning at the Kings Bastion Leisure Centre and finally the swimming competition will round off events at 6pm on Friday, for the first time in the Lathbury Sports Complex pool, before the closing ceremony when the flame will be extinguished.”

The full timetable is:-

· Wednesday 26th June - 6 pm – Lathbury Sports Complex

Opening Ceremony and Athletics Competition

· Thursday 27th June – 9 am – SOG Sports Complex

5-a-side football competition

· Thursday 27th June - 4 pm – SOG Sports Complex

Bocce competition

· Friday 28th June - 9.30 am – Kings Bastion Leisure Centre

10-pin bowling competition

· Friday 28th June – 6 pm – Lathbury Sports Complex

Swimming competition and Closing Ceremony

“The public are encouraged to support and attend all events free of charge. The week will be rounded off by the usual barbecue for athletes, volunteers and families on Friday evening at the Retreat Centre.”
The event takes place on the same weekend that the Gibraltar7s will be held on the Rock adding to the sporting calendar as the summer break now comes upon the sporting community with most domestic league competitions having come to an end already.
With the football European club competitions also just weeks away, and sports such as basketball hosting the Under 16 women’s FIBA competition on the Rock and other teams travelling abroad, Gibraltar’s sports community will still see some action coming their way.
The Special Olympic National Games, one of the key calendar dates in the sporting calendar has during the past years attracted much interest with support from various sporting associations assisting the organisers.
Special Olympics Gibraltar during the past years having also raised Gibraltar flag high across the globe in its many ventures abroad and bringing bag medals from events they have participated in.
Since their move into their premises at Europa, the association also now benefiting from additional services and its potential to provide added allocations to its own athletes while also sharing its facilities with other sports when necessary.
This further broadening its scope into the future and making next week’s Games another significant milestone ahead of their 40th anniversary.