Athletes shine at School Games Paralympic Festival

On Tuesday 26^th April, the School Games Paralympic Festival was back!

We welcomed over 300 young disabled athletes to Loughborough University to take part in a day of activity. Delivered by Active Together, the School Games Paralympic Festival was a multi-sport inclusive event, tailored specifically to be appropriate to a range of students from special and mainstream schools across the school sport network.

Athletes qualified from the 10 district areas across Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland to compete against one another in the Boccia and New Age Kurling County Finals. These were a great success and thoroughly enjoyed by all. Thank you also, to our sports leaders from Forest Way who supported all the athletes taking part and did a great job on the day.

This year, we also had a brand-new non-competitive element at the Paralympic Festival, an activity carousel providing the young people with the opportunity to experience a range of inclusive and Paralympic sports. There was also a Motor Activity Training Programme element on the day for young people with more complex needs.

The Activity Carousel consisted of:

• Wheelchair Sports – delivered by Make Change
• Inclusive Sports – delivered by Panathlon
• Badminton – delivered by Badminton England and Loughborough University students
• Judo – delivered by 2012 and 2016 GB Paralympian, Dan Powell

The activity carousel gave the young people an opportunity to try new, inclusive sports which they could all take part in, no matter their disabilities. The activities were all a success and some young people signed up to carry on the sports after the festival. Thank you to Martin High for providing sports leaders for these activities, they all did an amazing job, getting involved and interacting with the young people.

An Awards Ceremony took place for each Boccia and New Age Kurling County Final, and the winners, runners up and third place were announced as well as a 'Spirit of the Games' winner, for the Team best representing the School Games values of Determination, Honesty, Passion, Respect, Self-Belief and Teamwork.

We also had Team Leicestershire Talent Ambassador Ben Higgins and Paralympic wheelchair basketball gold medallist Nick Cummins in attendance, who spoke to all the athletes and took park the award ceremonies. Please find the results of these below.

Throughout the week there was also a variety of virtual Paralympic sports and challenges delivered through videos and resources on the Active Together website and on the Virtual Together App.

The event showcased the value of disability sport and provided an exciting and inspiring atmosphere for disabled young people to enjoy and excel within sport. We also had BBC East Midlands and East Midlands Radio at the festival interviewing young people on the day, Active Together staff and GB Paralympian Dan Powell.

The School Games action doesn't stop there as Loughborough University will also host the School Games Summer Festival on Friday 24^th June 2022 where we will also announce our winning School Games Partnership!

Results

KS2 Boccia

1. Marriot Junior (WL)
2. St Mary & St John (R)
3. Woodland Grange (O&W)
4. Millfield (H&B)
5. Thringstone (NWL)
6. Riverside (SC)
7. Ab Kettleby (M&B)
8. Spinney Hill (EL)
9. Ashmount (NC)

Spirit of the Games = Millfield (H&B)

KS2 New Age Kurling

1. Stonebow (NC)
2. Abbey Mead (EL)
3. Heather (NWL)
4. Overdale (WL)
5. Highcliffe (SC)
6. Stafford Leys (H&B)
7. Woodlands (O&W)
8. The Grove (M&B)

Spirit of the Games = Abbey Mead (EL)

KS3 MLD Boccia

1. Rushey Mead (EL)
2. Lutterworth High (B&H)
3. Catmose College (R)
4. Ashmount (NC)

Spirit of the Games = Lutterworth High (B&H)

KS 4/5 MLD Boccia

1. Ashmount (NC)
2. Rushey Mead (EL)
3. Catmose College (R)

Spirit of the Games = Rushey Mead (EL)

KS 3/4/5 SLD Boccia

1. Birkett House (O&&W)