The 49-strong Great Britain team for the upcoming Special Olympics European Summer Games in Belgium has been announced.
At the Games, which will be held in Antwerp from September 13-20, more than 2,000 athletes with learning disabilities from 58 European countries will take part in 10 sports: athletics, artistic gymnastics, football, bocce, badminton, unified basketball, cycling, judo, table tennis and swimming.
The Summer Games is the European showpiece event for Special Olympics – held every 4 years for the organisation and its athletes.
The day before the Special Olympics Great Britain team departs on September 8 a large number of the team will be hosted by Prime Minister David Cameron at a Downing Street reception, followed by an event at the Embassy of Belgium later that evening.
Minister for Sport, Helen Grant, said: “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’s CEO, Karen Wallin, also congratulated the athletes on their selection, adding: “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.”
The full Special Olympics GB team is as follows:
Dumfries and Galloway
Emma Birley – Aquatics (Castlemilk, Lockerbie) Samuel Pattinson – Aquatics (Gretna, Dumfriesshire)
East Midlands
Adam Meanwell – Aquatics (Grantham, Lincolnshire)
Eastern
Charles Culwick – Aquatics (Hawkwell, Essex) Kieran Neary – Aquatics (Benfleet, Essex) Scott Cleaver – Aquatics (Canvey Island, Essex) Rosemary Hollingsworth – Cycling (Shefford, Bedfordshire)