Jun 12 – Last Preparations Ahead Of Special Olympics Gibraltar National Games

Written on 12 June 2017.

With the 2017 Special Olympics Gibraltar National Games just days away now, National Director Annie Risso and her team are busy with the last minute preparations for this annual highlight in the Special Olympic calendar. The Games take place between 21st and 23rd June and Gibraltar will welcome teams from the Isle of Man, Barbate and Algeciras to compete against Gibraltar in athletics, swimming and football competitions.

The running of the Games has been helped enormously by Saccone and Speed (Gibraltar) Limited who are now in their 31st year of sponsorship of these games. In a recent ceremony Denis Lafferty, representing Saccone and Speed, handed over a cheque for £5,000 towards the cost of the games. Denis and his wife Janet, who are both Patrons of Special Olympics Gibraltar, are long term supporters of Special Olympics and have attended numerous overseas competitions to watch the athletes in action.

The Games kick off with the opening ceremony at the Victoria Stadium at 6 pm on 21st June followed by the athletics competition. At 10 am on the 22nd June the football tournament starts at the Bayside Sports Complex and on Friday the 23rd June the swimming tournament takes place at the GSLA from 6 pm. The Games will be rounded off with the traditional barbecue for athletes at the Retreat Centre after the swimming finishes.

This all follows a reception on 5th June given by the Government of Gibraltar and organised by the Ministry of Equality in recognition of the achievements of Special Olympics and in particular their successes in the recent World Games in Los Angeles and Austria. Minister of Equality, Samantha Sacramento praised the athletes and the contribution which Special Olympics makes to their lives, and presented a short, and at times emotional, video made during and after the Austria Games. This included interviews with athletes, coaches and parents along with shots of the athletes in action. That video is now available to see on the Special Olympics Gibraltar Facebook page.

Italian Football Competition

Meanwhile a team of eight footballers set off on Sunday to La Spezia in Italy for a 5-a-side competition in the XXXIII Special Olympics Italy National Summer Games. The Games take place from 11th to 16th June and Gibraltar was invited by the organisers to send eight athletes of low to medium ability to take part in the football competition. They are led by Head of Delegation Caine Sanchez and Head Coach Mario Prescott, with Assistant Coaches Jeremy Baldachino and Tyrone Davis.

The team are able to go to Italy thanks to the generosity of the Gibraltar Football Association who recently presented Special Olympics with a cheque for £5,340 for sponsorship of the trip. National Director Annie Risso said "We are very grateful to the Board of the GFA and their grassroots manager Leslie Asquez for the financial support they are giving to our football teams.  This enables the development of SOG football and allows all athletes who love football opportunities to compete away from Gibraltar.  This tournament is specially geared for the more moderate players and it was a great chance to give this opportunity to some of our footballers who at times get left out of the top flight teams."

Pic: Janet and Denis Lafferty presenting Annie Risso with a cheque of £5,000 from Saccone and Speed