Sports champs & “Mandeville” appear at the Bucks Youth Games (25th June)

Sports champions and London 2012 Games mascot “Mandeville” appear at
the Bucks Youth Games (25th June)

More than 500 children from across Bucks came together on the 25th June for one of the highlights of the sporting calendar: the Bucks Youth Games. This ‘mini-Olympic’ style festival of sport proved to be an exciting countdown to the London 2012 Games, and took place at the prestigious Stoke Mandeville Stadium, birthplace of the Paralympic Games, and The Mandeville School & Specialist Sports College in Stoke Mandeville. Now in its sixth year, the Bucks Youth Games features six different sports ranging from athletics and swimming to girls’ football and boccia. Young people from primary and secondary schools across Aylesbury Vale, Milton Keynes, Wycombe, Chiltern and South Bucks tried their level best to come home with a medal. However everyone was a winner, as children met the London 2012 Games mascot “Mandeville” along with local sports champions, Great Britain swimmer, Craig Gibbons, from Aylesbury and Britain’s leading table tennis player, Andrew Baggaley, from Milton Keynes.

The aim of the Bucks Youth Games is to inspire young people to become a member of a local sports club and hopefully participate in sport throughout their lives. It’s the culmination of school competitions and festivals which have been taking place in recent months. Co-ordinated by the Bucks and Milton Keynes Sports Partnership (Bucks Sport), the Games has been granted the prestigious London 2012 Games Inspire mark, the badge of the London 2012 Games Inspire programme which recognises exceptional and innovative projects inspired by the London 2012 Games. As Lord Sebastion Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, reflects: “Projects like the Bucks Youth Games are enabling people in Buckinghamshire to make positive life changes.”

Certainly the day promoted Olympic and Paralympic values, with its Fair Play Awards and the focus on participation by young people with disabilities, girls and other under-represented groups. Michaela Smith, Interim Director of Bucks Sport, explains: “Bucks will have a unique role to play in the hosting of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and of course Stoke Mandeville Stadium will be playing a key role. Today was a great opportunity for our young people to take part in their own ‘mini-Olympic’ style festival of sport, make new friends and have lots of fun. And I trust it will leave them feeling inspired and looking forward to the London 2012 Games.”

The Games are not just about the young participants. This special event highlights the variety of ways everyone can get involved in sport and enjoy it. The team coaches and managers, local authority sports development officers, event organisers and volunteers, and hundreds of guests, parents and spectators all contributed to the success of the Bucks Youth Games. And of course special guests Craig Gibbons and Andrew Baggaley (together with his brother, and coach, Stephen Baggaley) played a key role at the Games. Andrew, Britain’s leading table tennis player, reflects: “We hope we inspired some young people to give table tennis a go. Events like the Bucks Youth Games provide the perfect springboard for enjoying sport and maybe taking it to the next level.” And GB Swimmer, Craig Gibbons, welcomed the young people to the Games and explained to them how you can go on to great things from humble beginnings. Craig first learnt to swim as a young boy so he could be safe in the water during family holidays. His parents, from Steeple Claydon, never thought he would become an elite swimmer.

A selection of pictures taken at the Bucks Youth Games will be available for download from: www.buckssport.org/BYG .