2009 Special Olympics Great Britain National Games

The 2009 Special Olympics Great Britain National Games were held in Leicester between the 25 and 31 July 2009.[1]

2009 Special Olympics Great Britain National Games
Host cityLeicester
Athletes2,422
Opening25 July 2009
Closing31 July 2009
Main venueWalkers Stadium
Websitewww.sol2009.com

Athletes and volunteers

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Over 2,400 athletes representing 19 Special Olympics regions across the UK have visited the city of Leicester over the seven-day period along with 1,200 coaches and 1,500 volunteers.

2,422 athletes competed in 21 Olympic style competitions across the city. The city of Leicester have also recruited about 1,500 volunteers to participate in the Games.

Leicester's landscape has changed dramatically since the city first hosted the Games in 1989. From the rich diversity of its population, to the magnificent ongoing 3 billion regeneration programme, Leicester was a city rising to the challenge on many fronts.

A host of celebrities have already offered up their support to the Games next year including Martin Johnson, Gary Lineker, Leicester Tigers, Leicester City FC, and Leicestershire CCC.

Venues

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Walkers Stadium, home of Leicester City Football Club, was used for the Opening Ceremony and the Games Village. Sailing was held at Rutland Sailing Centre and Kayaking have taken place at the Anglian Water Site. Leicestershire County Cricket Club were used for Kwik Cricket. Other venues included Abbey Park (cycling), Braunestone Leisure Centre (swimming), New College Leicester (gymnastics), Hollywood Bowl (ten pin bowling), Saffron Lane Sports Centre (athletics) and Soar Valley College (netball).

The full list of competition venues was as follows:[2]

Venue Sports Image
Ceremonies and games village Walkers Stadium
Athletics Saffron Lane Sports Stadium
Badminton Babington Community College
Basketball De Montfort University
Boccia Shree Prajapati Centre
Indoor Bowls Slater Street
Cycling Abbey Park
Equestrian Abbey Park
Football Goals Soccer Centre and Crown Hills Community College
Golf Humberstone Heights Golf Course
Gymnastics New College Leicester
Judo Leicester Leys Leisure Centre
Kayaking Anglian Water
Kwik Cricket Grace Road
Motor Activities Training Programme Evington Leisure Centre
Netball Soar Valley College
Powerlifting Peepul Centre
Sailing Rutland Water
Swimming Braunstone Leisure Centre
Table Tennis Aylestone Leisure Centre
Ten Pin Bowling Hollywood Bowl, Meridian Leisure Park
Tennis Knighton Tennis Centre

Sports

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The following competitions took place:[3]

2009 Special Olympics Great Britain National Games

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Leicester's Special Olympics 'worth £2.8m to economy'". BBC News. 27 October 2011.
  2. ^ "Special Olympics - Venues". www.sol2009.com. Archived from the original on 28 June 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Special Olympics - Sports". www.sol2009.com. Archived from the original on 30 August 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
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