The Inaugural Amputee Games at Stoke Mandeville

On 13th June 2008, amputees met at Stoke Mandeville Stadium in Hants to take part in the inaugural Amputee Games. 12 teams of eight amputees and two healthcare professionals participated in 13 Paralympic sports over two days to win the trophy and experience the benefits of participation in sport.

The Games will give primary amputees an opportunity to experience a wide variety of sports, taught by specialist from the individual sports governing bodies and associations. They will take part in 13 different sports both recreationally and competitively: providing them with a pathway to join the individual disability sporting associations after the games, where they can progress their skills. The four competitive sports, each featured in the Paralympics are swimming, athletics, shooting and archery and the nine non-competitor sports, are badminton, table-tennis, fencing, sitting volleyball, powerlifting, rugby, athletics, cycling and hand-cycling, and tennis.

13 games - 2 days - 96 competitors

will be awarded to teams who finish in the top five places for each of the competitive sports. Additional points will be awarded for the participating teams in the non-competitive.

Participation in the games will be limited to primary amputees who have been an amputee for between one and three years, this is to ensure that injuries sustained through trauma have healed and that participants are wearing suitable prostheses which will enable them to participate: this will also ensure that each year new amputees get the opportunity to participate while previous participants move onto their chosen sport.

The Amputee Games is presented by The Douglas Bader Foundation in partnership with Wheelpower and supported by Chas. A. Blatchfords, and opcare.

Read a review of the Inaugural Amputee Games: click here >>

You can view television clips from the games at:
news.bbc.co.uk
www.buckstv.co.uk