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 26th June from 6pm.  

A statement from the Special Olympics follows below:

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.