National Special Olympic Games return with high anticipation

After an absence of 10 years, the National Special Olympics Games of St Vincent and the Grenadines are back.{{more}}

The Games are set for today and tomorrow, November 8 and 9, at the Victoria Park, with Patron of the Games His Excellency Sir Frederick Ballantyne, the Governor General.

The Games, however, will be ushered in by the Law Enforcement Torch Run, which begins today at 9 a.m. at Rabacca and will travel along the coast to Kingstown and into the Victoria Park. The Park will then light up with the Opening Ceremony from 4:30 p.m., and brief remarks will come from Chair of the Special Olympics Board of Directors Errol Allen, a representative from Special Olympics Caribbean, the Minister of Sports, as well as official sponsors: the Bank of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Digicel St Vincent Limited.

A special entertainment package is also planned and will feature local artistes and students from the School for Children with Special Needs, Kingstown.

The Governor General will declare the games open. Also at the Opening Ceremony, two persons who have dedicated their life to the growth of Special Olympics in St Vincent and the Grenadines will be honoured.

Two five-a-side football matches, athletes versus athletes and Avenues versus athletes, will consume the rest of Friday’s activities. Prime Minister Dr Ralph E. Gonsalves will make the first pass, to signal the start of the first match.

Most of the activities are slated for Saturday, beginning at 9 a.m. Among the events to be contested are track and-field and bocce.

A “Unified Bocce” game is planned, which will see persons without intellectual disabilities testing their skills against persons with intellectual disabilities.

An excited national director of Special Olympics of St Vincent and the Grenadines Janice Mc Master told SEARCHLIGHT: “It is a joy to see the games back, giving those persons with disabilities opportunities through sports to shine”.

Mc Master is urging the public to come out to the Victoria Park on both days and give the athletes the support they deserve.

The last National Special Olympic Games were staged in 2003.(RT)