YOUNG sports enthusiasts are limbering up for a district-wide competition just days after the Olympic Torch passes through South Gloucestershire.
More than 600 young people will take part in a tag rugby competition at Yate Outdoor Sports Complex today Saturday, May 26 as part of the 11th annual festival of youth sport.
More than 60 teams of Year 5 and Year 6 schoolchildren are due to play and there will be a presentation with a trophy for the winner and runner up and every child will receive a medal.
The festival is hosted by South Gloucestershire Council and in the run up to the event, the authority has been working with six local rugby clubs including Chipping Sodbury, Frampton Cotterell, St Mary’s, Aretians, Kingswood and North Bristol.
Steve Evans, council director of environment and community services, said: "In the year the Olympic Games comes to London, our festival in South Gloucestershire provides a great opportunity to get more young people involved in sport in the hope that we may find our very own future Olympians.
"Sport can help bring people together and teaches children about fitness, confidence and discipline and has a really positive impact on our younger residents."
On the same day, the sixth International Special Educational Needs Tag Rugby event hosted by North Bristol RFC takes place at Oaklands, Almondsbury.
Laurie Hayward, chair of North Bristol RFC Juniors, said: "Much like the council’s tag rugby event, our international festival is for people with learning difficulties and provides more than 400 people with the opportunity to participate in meaningful sporting activity.
"With competitors coming from Belfast, Dublin, Evesham, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, Stockport, Swansea and South Gloucestershire it should be a great day for all to enjoy."
Another festival of sport takes place on Saturday, July 7 at Gloucestershire and Stroud College’s WISE campus in Filton when young people will be encouraged to come and try athletics, cricket, tennis, tri golf, KS1 multi skills tennis and pop lacrosse.
A further open event for people of all ages and abilities with physical and sensory impairments. Takes place on Thursday, July 12. Paralympic sports will be available to try including athletics, boccia, cricket, wheelchair basketball, table tennis, polly bat and table cricket, swimming and football, providing an opportunity to raise the profile of disability sport and talent spot for future sporting talent.
For more information call 01454 868169.
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