Top performances from Suffolk Athletes at National Indoor Athletics Competition

Posted on November 21, 2024 by specialolympicssuffolk

Athletes from Special Olympics Suffolk returned to Lea Valley Athletics Centre to compete at the National Indoor Athletics Competition on Sunday 17th November 2024. 11 Athletes representing Suffolk attended the event in London included athletes attending their very first competition.

Our athletes showcased an incredible display of determination and sportsmanship supporting one another throughout. The athletes came away with medals galore, a testament to their hard work in training and perseverance.

Congratulations to all athletes – we are so proud of you! Huge thanks to the magnificent team of coaches, volunteers and supporters.

Time to celebrate the 10th Year Anniversary of Special Olympics Suffolk!

Posted on November 13, 2024 by specialolympicssuffolk

Have you heard people exclaim “How time flies!”? Well, for Special Olympics Suffolk, not a truer word has been spoken…

This month, we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Special Olympics Suffolk and the great thing is, there are many athletes, volunteers and coaches who remember the day back in November 2014 when the months of hard work came to fruition and Waveney Gymnastics Club hosted the launch of the organisation. You may recognise some of the faces in the photographs below – these people played a pivotal role in getting SO Suffolk started in 2014 and still play a huge role in the running and organisation of it today.

Since then, SO Suffolk has gone from strength to strength, with our athletes training hard and competing at local, regional, national and international level in Alpine Skiing, Athletics, Badminton, Boccia, Equestrian and Gymnastics. Our coaches and volunteers have worked tirelessly with athletes and behind the scenes to ensure the very best support has been available.

The athletes have been on TV and radio, featured in news paper articles and on the bill-boards high above Piccadilly Circus in London, and even visited Number 10 Downing Street to showcase disability sport and inspire others to join in.

Over the past ten years, SO Suffolk has grown and flourished thanks to a team of dedicated athletes, devoted coaches and an army of supporters and well wishers. We would like to thank them all for playing their part in making SO Suffolk so successful.

On 9th March 2025, we aim to host a Celebration of Sport to mark the 10th Anniversary of Special Olympics Suffolk and will be sending out invitations to past and present athletes, coaches, volunteers and friends – please save the date!

Scavenger Hunt raises a whopping £600 for Special Olympics Suffolk

Posted on November 5, 2024 by specialolympicssuffolk

Twelve Special Olympics Suffolk athletes met at Ipswich train station on September 8th to take part in an organised Scavenger Hunt around the historic town of Ipswich. The intrepid explorers and their supporters navigated their way around the 3k route following a map, checking in with volunteer marshalls at given points along the way. They had clues to solve and questions to answer. The final point was Christchurch Park where they gathered for a picnic lunch and a game of rounders.

Not only was the Scavenger Hunt a great opportunity to get active and meet up with other athletes from Special Olympics Suffolk, but also to raise some funds to go towards the affiliation fees paid each year to Special Olympics Great Britain.

Between them, the athletes (Grace, Rhys, Ed, Donna, Ollie, Liam, Jordan, Hamish, Joe, Cameron, Ami and Simon) raised just over £600 in sponsor money! Liam and Ami shared joint first place by answering all Scavenger Hunt Questions correctly – their affiliation fees for 2025 have been paid by an anonymous donor. Jordan raised a whopping £129 in sponsorship and in doing so won a complimentary family swim at Crown Pools, Ipswich (kindly sponsored by Ipswich Borough Council) and a £20 Sports Direct voucher (kindly donated by an anonymous donor).

Congratulations and huge thanks to the athletes, their supporters, the sponsors and the volunteers who helped out on the day.

Special Olympics Suffolk gymnasts bring home medals from Oslo, Norway

Posted on November 5, 2024 by specialolympicssuffolk

Our fabulous gymnasts from Waveney Gymnastics Club, Lowestoft brought a stash of medals back to the County from their recent travels to Oslo, Norway.

Funded partly by East Suffolk Council ‘Enabling Communities Budget’ but mostly self-funded by months of fundraising at the club, the gymnasts travelled to Oslo where they were hosted by the Norwegian Federation of Gymnasts. The standard was high as they competed against gymnasts representing 13 other countries. Months of hard work in training in the gym paid off and the gymnasts performed to very best and were cheered on and supported by family and friends, and volunteer Sandra and coaches Ellen and Alex.

The athletes journey was documented by using some of the digital equipment that was funded by East Suffolk Council and will be ready to view very soon – watch this space!

Huge congratulations to the gymnasts, coaches and supporters from all of us at Special Olympics Suffolk – you did us proud!