Double Beijing gold medallist Rebecca Adlington will officially
open a prestigious sports competition in Bath tonight (Thursday, 28
August).
The Olympic swimmer, who has become a household name in recent
days, will declare open the UK School Games. Adlington, 19, from
Mansfield will be in attendance at the Recreation Ground in
Bath to start the three day event.
The 19-year-old will join Bath Bullet Jason Gardener at the
event at the Rec, which will herald three days of games involving
1,500 elite young athletes. Adlington has won gold in China for the
800 metres and 400 metres freestyle and is the current world record
holder at 800-metre freestyle.
Bath & North East Somerset Council is holding Civic
Reception at the Roman Baths on Saturday to welcome the UK School
Games to the area.
Council Chair, Cllr David Bellotti, will welcome around 200
guests to the reception, at 8pm, which is being co-hosted by the
Mayor of Bristol, Cllr Christopher Davies.
The evening will also include music from the City of Bath Male
Voice Choir, which recently reached the final five in the BBC’s
‘Last Choir Standing’ competition.
Cllr Bellotti said: “We are very proud as a Council to have this
major event in our area.
“We welcome all our visitors to our beautiful city, also the
villages and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty that make up North
East Somerset. I hope the competitors, their supporters and
families will take an opportunity to enjoy exploring the many
excellent attractions on offer in the local area.
“Some of the young people taking part will go on to achieve
great things – there may well be some future Olympic champions
here, for which this event will be but a step in their progress.
For others this event will be the culmination of their sporting
achievements. Regardless of their achievement or ambitions, we hope
the athletes and players will have enjoyed the challenges and
endeavour of these three days of competition and will – as a result
- wish to visit us again in the West of England.
He also thanked the City of Bristol, the South West Development
Agency, the Youth Sport Trust - and their contractors Fast Track
– the various Universities and Institutions involved as well
as all the officials, coaches and volunteers who involved in the
event.
The games - a Government initiative in the run-up to the 2012
London Olympics - will see around 1,500 athletes compete
across nine sports within Bristol and Bath, including the
University of Bath, between tomorrow and Sunday. Sports included
will be hockey, badminton, judo, volleyball, athletics, fencing,
gymnastics, swimming and table tennis, with disability events in
athletics, swimming and table tennis.
The UK School Games will be from the 28th August - 31st
August. No tickets are required for the games themselves - just
turn up. For schedule and venues visit the UK School Games
website.
A limited number of free tickets for the opening ceremony
of the Games are available from the Bath Tourist
Office.
