Source: Department for Culture, Media and Sport 07/03/07
Sheffield is to host the prestigious UK School Games in 2011, the Government announced today.
The announcement was made as Chancellor Gordon Brown, Culture Secretary and Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell and Sports Minister Richard Caborn watched an exhibition of school sports at Grey Coat Hospital School in London.
Ms Jowell also announced a new youth volunteering scheme, with the charity v funding a Youth Sport Trust programme to give more than three thousand 16 - 18 year-olds the chance to become sports officials such as judges and umpires.
The UK School Games is a multi-sport event for the nation's most talented school age athletes. Launched last year, they will be held every year until 2012 and are designed to replicate the feel of events like the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, with opening and closing ceremonies and athletes' villages.
The Government announced that the Games will be held in:
* the West of England in 2008;
* Wales in 2009;
* Tyne and Wear in 2010 and
* Sheffield in 2011.
The UK School Games are a multi-sport event for the nation's most talented school age athletes. Launched last year, they will be held every year until 2012, and are designed to replicate the feel of events like the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, with opening and closing ceremonies and athletes' villages.
Minister for Sport Richard Caborn said: "I'm delighted Sheffield will be hosting the Games in 2011 and I'm sure they'll put on a fantastic event.
"The UK School Games give Britain's best school-age athletes the opportunity to compete against each other - and show the rest of the country how talented they are.
"There may even be a chance that some of the kids who take part in the School Games could find themselves representing their country in front of a home crowd in 2012.
"And through the new youth volunteering scheme, we're working to produce the next generation of top-class sports officials - they too could find themselves at the heart of the action in major sporting events of the future."
Sixteen-year-old Chris Bartlett, 2006 UK School Games triple jump gold medallist said:
"I really enjoyed competing in the first UK School Games in Glasgow last summer and winning a gold medal made it even more special. The opening and closing ceremonies were brilliant and it was really good to mix with competitors from other sports in the athletes' village.
"The event really gave me an idea of what competing in a big competition at elite level might be like with all the TV cameras there and it's an experience that I'll never forget."
At the launch today, potential competitors demonstrated their sporting prowess in gymnastics and fencing alongside pupils from the Grey Coat Hospital School while some of the country's top young volleyball players showcased their skills.
For the 2007 UK School Games, three new sports - badminton, judo and volleyball - have been added to the five sports of athletics, fencing, gymnastics, swimming and table tennis that featured in the 2006 Games.
Disability events in athletics, table tennis and swimming will also be included. DCMS envisages more sports may be added in future years.
The event took place for the first time in September 2006 in Glasgow, and this year will be held in Coventry from 23 to 26 August.
The UK School Games are run on behalf of DCMS by the Youth Sport Trust. They are being funded with a £6 million Government investment, announced by the Chancellor in the 2006 budget, and £3.5 million from the Big Lottery Fund until 2011. Visa is the presenting sponsor of the 2007 UK School Games, which are also being supported by Coventry City Council.