Special Olympics athletes and members from New Zealand Police this morning lit the Flame of Hope at the Bridge of Remembrance in Christchurch to mark the 100-day countdown to the National Summer Special Olympics Games.
The Games are set to be held at the city’s new Wolfbrook Arena from Wednesday 10 until Sunday 14 of December.
The Flame of Hope will now traverse the country in collaboration with Police during the traditional Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) to get local communities excited about the games. The Torch Run is the traditional lead-in event for every National Summer Games around the world, where local police officers and local athletes carry the Flame of Hope through their cities to raise awareness for the games and allow the community to show their support.
“Lighting the Flame of Hope means that the games are just around the corner, so we hope Christchurch is ready for the biggest party of the year,” says Special Olympics Chief Executive Fran Scholey.
The National Summer Games is the four-yearly pinnacle event for over 1200 Special Olympics athletes with an intellectual disability, representing 42 clubs, and competing in 10 sports and six venues across the city, supported by over 500 coaches and thousands of families and supporters.
The Special Olympics athletes will be the first athletes to enjoy the brand-new Parakiore complex that will host the swimming and basketball competitions, as well as the Healthy Athletes Programme (HAP), where all athletes undergo several health checks.
“We can’t wait for all the teams to arrive in our city, and show off our fantastic new sports venues,” says Christchurch Mayor, Phil Mauger.
“We have been working closely with Special Olympics New Zealand and we are confident this event will be a huge success.”
Ms Scholey encourages Christchurch people to get involved in the games and not to miss one of the most exciting and unique sports events in the country.
“The National Summer Games are unlike any other event, from the opening ceremony at Wolfbrook Arena on December 10 until the Closing Ceremony Disco, which is the highlight for most athletes, so we hope people will come along to experience unforgettable memories and support our athletes.”
