European Youth Games
Please click here for the pre-games article.
Team GB honoured at a reception - Saturday 30th September
Athletes, coaches and families were honoured to be invited to a pre-Opening Ceremony reception hosted by the International British School St George's on the afternoon of Saturday 30th September.
Students and teachers from the school warmly welcomed the team and new friendships were soon being made!
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A fantastic spread had been organised which the team were thrilled with - fresh fruit and ice cream disappearing very fast !
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And everyone took the time to relax in the glorious sun before heading off to the opening ceremony that evening. GB Torch Run representative Sgt Bob Chandler was on hand to make a special presentation of a good luck mascot to Team Manager, Laura Smith and ITV cameras were there to capture the moment and take some time out to interview Laura about the team's aspirations for the Games.
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Opening Ceremony - Saturday Evening 30th September
The Stadio dei Marmi
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The 2006 Special Olympics European Youth Games, dedicated to 1,400 athletes from Europe and Eurasia with learning disabilities were officially opened on Saturday 30th September at the amazing Opening Ceremony which took place in the Stadio dei Marmi in Rome.
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The GB Team Arrives |
The evening was hosted by Yuri Keki and Paola Saluzzi and co-presented by Special Olympics Italy athletes Serena Silvi and Alfredo Scarlatai,and saw each one of the 55 participating delegations, including 34 athletes from Great Britain, parade on the field of the spectacular marble stadium. Each delegation was accompanied by a mayor of a local town council of Lazio and by famous faces from the entertainment and sport world. |
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The games were opened by two great friends of Special Olympics Italy Giovanna Melandri, Minister of Youth Policies and Sport Activities, and the Mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni. Also on stage to welcome and celebrate the first ever Youth Games was Chairman of Special Olympics, Timothy P. Shriver. |
Let the Games Begin |
One of the most awaited and emotional moments of the evening was the triumphal entrance of the Flame of Hope. The torch was designed by Giorgio Armani, who expressed how proud he is to be a part of the Special Olympics movement. Italian athlete Roberto Pungelli, visibly moved, had the honour of carrying the flame and lighting the cauldron. The flame, as tradition states, will burn for the duration of the games and remind everybody of the symbol of honour and hope. |  |
The Flame was carried to Rome by a team of police offcers from 17 contries and included our very own Special Olympics St Albans athlete, Jonathan Riggans and Met POlice Officer, Sgt Bob Chandler. Jonathan had the honour of lighting the Cauldron at Rome's Campioglioni (Town Hall) the previous afternoon.
The Torch arrives at Rome's Campagnioli (Town Hall) |
SOGB Athlete Jonathan Riggans and Sgt Bob Chandler with the Flame of Hope at the spectacular Colosseum in Rome |
GB athlete, Jonathan Riggans lights the cauldron to officially mark the Flame's arrival in Rome. |
The ceremony was full of great spectacular moments. The stage was one of a kind and was an enchanting combination of many lights and colours that made up an incredible setting, taking the spectators' breath away. The imagination of Valerio Festi, and his fantastic air show of the flying dancers, directed by Pepi Morgia, and the moving sport statues were absolutely fantastic and will make this night an unforgettable one for everybody present.
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Photos: Acrobats in the Sky
It wouldn't have been a real night without any kind of Italian music and the great successful singer/songwriter Biagio Antonacci gave us just this - he had everybody up on their feet, singing and dancing!
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SUNDAY 1st October 2006
Divisioning begins in earnest and the SO Europe Eurasia Healthy Athletes Symposium takes place. The UK Minister for Disabled People Anne McGuire attends the event as a key note speaker and takes time out to meet the GB Team .
Chris Hooper, CEO - SOGB, Ann McGuire MP, Tim Shriver, Chairman of Special Olympics and Mike Smith, Managing Director of SO Europe Eurasia Anne meets |
Team GB athletes at the track |
Good Luck Team GB |
Results
GYMNASTICS, Head Coach: John Grady Assisted by coaches, Andy Shard and Jane Whetnall
A big thank you to all the people involved in organising the GB Team for the European Youth Games especially to Laura and Jed, we always felt confident you had everything in hand, a super management team. Jessica, all our travel arrangements were perfect.
Our gymnastics competition had some hiccups but was really first class when it got moving and I have pleasure in reporting the final results below :
| Name | Level | Floor | Pommel | Rings | Vault | Parrallel Bars | H/ Bar | All Round |
| Michael Hughes | 1 | 7.382 5th | 7.338 4th | 6.375 Silver | 8.050 4th | 7.037 Silver | 7.037 Silver | 7.337 6th |
| Harry Smale | 2 | 8.90 Silver | 7.35 Bronze | 9.37 Gold | 9.59 Silver | 8.55 Silver | 9.08 Gold | 52.84 Silver |
| Martyn Miles | 2 | 8.26 Fourth | 8.20 Gold | 9.22 Gold | 9.40 Gold | 8.69 Gold | 8.90 Silver | 52.64 Bronze |
| Name | Level | Floor | A/Bar | Vault | Beam | All Round |
| Rachel Fairhurst | 1 | 5.79 Bronze | 7.362 Silver | 8.70 Silver | 6.875 Bronze | 29.448 Bronze |
| Claire Poole | 2 | 7.087 Gold | 7.437 Gold | 8.825 Bronze | 7.250 Bronze | 29.748 Gold |
| Samantha Godel | 3 | 8.75 Gold | 7.31 Gold | 9.59 Gold | 8.16 Gold | 33.80 Gold |
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The Great Britain Artistic Gymnastics Squad presented themselves in a superb manner throughout the gymnastics competition. Looking very smart in leotards designed by coach, Jane Whetnall they certainly applied themselves well to the task winning a total of 32 medals.
Michael Hughes showed a lot of determination against some very strong opposition, unfortunately the heat got to him at crucial points otherwise his two fourth places could have turned to bronze medals.
Harry Smale managed to qualify for all the top classification groups and but for a poor pommel routine would have taken the all round gold. He was just two tenths short. Martyn Miles, a late substitute, also performed well. Two of his golds were in the second classification group but all the other medals were taken in top groupings. It gave the whole team satisfaction to take four of the top gold medals from the Russians. Both Rachel Fairhurst and Claire Poole improved their gymnastics performances as the competition progressed and can be very pleased with their achievements.
A lot of hard work and concentration led to medals on all pieces for the two girls from the North West. Samantha Godel may have been responsible for scaring of a couple of Russians who originally appeared in the programme in Sam's Level 3 competition. Mysteriously they disappeared from the line up after warm up. I am not sure but I think they ended up in the Level 2 competition.
I suppose mistakes do happen in entries but this left Samantha alone at Level 3. She performed well with good scores, but it would have been good to have some opposition. The Italians put on a super competition, you had to be patient sometimes whilst things got started but once going the competition was first class. The Gala they staged as part of the programme was really enjoyable and of a high standard.
The gymnasts and coaching staff were lovely to work with and I think we got the very best out of the event. I am very grateful to coaches Jane Whetnall and Andy Shard for their help and support in making this event so successful for Team GB gymnasts.
John Grady Head Coach
Athletics Results
Dave O’Brien Head Coach said, “All the athletes very excited about going to Rome and for most of them it was their first visit to this beautiful, cultural city. Viterbo played host to team G.B. for the first two days sharing with us their stunning gardens, buildings and hospitality. This settled the team for the excitement and adventures that lay ahead. When we reached our hotel base in central Rome where we would travel from daily to the track we soon settled. For the athletes especially, the heat had a big influence as the temperatures were a lot higher in Rome than back home in Britain. There was little shade for people so all the athletes did extremely well, all performing to the best of their individual abilities. There was a good, close team spirit with everyone cheering on and commiserating with fellow team members. Well done to you all of the athletics squad for making the trip to Rome special and my thanks too to my assistant coaches, Val Hanover and Mike Harrison for your support and hard work.” The Athletics Squad returned with 2 Gold, 2 Silver, 8 Bronze, 2 4th, 5 5th and 1 6th placing.
Results:
Stephen Morris
400m Bronze
800m Bronze
James Howell
400m 6th
Long Jump Bronze
Fiona Clarke
200m Bronze
100m Silver
Amelia Martin
100m 4th
200m 4th
Ben O’Brien
200m Gold
100m Silver
Gwillian Jones
200m Bronze
100m Gold
Kirsty Venn
100m 5th
Shot P Bronze
Alexander Edmonds
Softball Bronze
50m Run Bronze
Relay – James H, Gwillian J, Stephen M and O’Brien – 5th
Swimming Results
South East Athletes
Sarah Louise Casey - Gold - 200m Freestyle. Silver - 50m Butterfly, Silver - Medley Relay 4x25m
Laura Mitchell - Gold - 100m Freestyle, 8th - 100m Breaststroke, Silver - Medley Relay 4x25m
Peter Faithfull - 5th - 100m Freestyle 4th - 100m Backstroke. Silver - Medley Relay 4x25m
Joseph Peciuch - Gold - 100m Freestyle, Silver - 50m Freestyle, Silver - Medley Relay 4x25m
West Midlands Athletes
Amy Rowley - Silver - 25m Freestyle, Bronze - 25m Backstroke.
Jessica Geier - 4th - 50m Backstroke, 5th - 50m Freestyle.
Matthew Daykin - Gold - 100m Freestyle, Silver - 100m Individual Medley.
Daniel Whitmore - Gold - 50m Backstroke, Gold - 50m Freestyle
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The swimming team performed exceptionally well with most of them achieving personal best times.
The times were further improved in the finals. In the 50m Freestyle Team GB had 2 swimmers in the same final which proved really exciting, Daniel just beat Joseph by 1second with them taking Gold and Silver medals.
The Medley Relay had to be re run on the final day due to problems when it was initially run - with Team GB proving that our protest was correct by taking the Silver Medal. There was a very good team spirit throughout the competition with everyone supporting and encouraging each other which was great to see.
Ten Pin Bowling Results
The venue was very similar to our own back home so adapting to the game in Rome was made easy. Divisioning days went well having each player placed in different classifications. This meant no one was playing against their own team members and had the opportunity to experience the multi cultural players from around Europe and also from some further afield countries.
The first day of finals went off with a bang, for the first time in competion we began with the team event. Team GB entered 2 mixed teams and were very successful in both, Gold and Bronze medal winners, in a close competition with placings changing from one throw to the other, very nervous for coaches and parents alike! Both teams gelled well together, cheering and supporting each other all the way. Winning medals on the 1st day lifted spirits and eroded any fears that they may have had prior to competition.
The team spirit continued for both doubles and singles events finishing with 8 Gold, 4 Silver, 6 Bronze, 4 fourths, 1 fifth and 6th place being won. Exceptional results, given 6 of our 8 athletes were in their first ever competition abroad.
I must highlight Sarah Anderson, who had an outstanding competition winning Gold in both the individual and doubles events and Bronze in the team event. Sarah’s scores throughout saw her as one of the top female players in the competition. Hopefully Sarah’s success will continue as she prepares for the World Summer Games in Shanghai.
It remains for me to say how proud I was off all the athletes and how each and everyone were true ambassadors for their region and country. Thanks also go to my side kicks of Evelyn Smith and Stevie Baxter who made my role so much easier.