This year is of course a Summer Olympics year, with the events due to kickoff this August in Paris. However, students in Edinburgh will be able to celebrate the games a little bit earlier with the Sports Union Games scheduled to take place on March 20.
The games will be hosted by the Sports Union at Pleasance, Peffermill, and St. Leonards Land; featuring eight different sports including basketball, touch rugby, and badminton. The event will be catered to the university’s diverse student population, offering students the opportunity to represent a nation in an Olympic and Paralympic themed event.
The Sports Union have said that they “hope to see hundreds of students participate” with “all who enter are sure to have a great time with a real celebratory feel to the event”. Sign up for the event is free with there being no minimum experience required, with the Sports Union adding that everyone is “encouraged to participate and the main priority being the enjoyment of sport.” The event is also a great way to meet new people and learn more about a sport as you can sign up for team events as an individual and then be sorted into a team.
Overall the event aims to be a great way for students to celebrate the Summer Olympics and enjoy Edinburgh’s sporting culture. Sports Union Inclusion Officer Mercè Sánchez Oller has said that “the Sports Union Games are a great opportunity to promote healthy competition and encourage physical activity”, continuing to say “It’s also a great chance to give sports you would otherwise not try a go, and to meet other students with similar interests.”
The full list of sports, timings and locations are below:
- Badminton – 12:00-18:00 – Pleasance Sports Hall
- Basketball – 15:00-18:00 – Pleasance Sports Hall
- Pickleball – 12:00-15:00 – Pleasance Sports Hall
- Boccia – 12:00-13:00 – Pleasance Squash Courts
- Squash – 13:00-17:00 – Pleasance Squash Courts
- Netball – 14:00-17:00 – Peffermill Playing Fields
- Touch rugby – 15:00-17:00 – Peffermill Playing Fields
- Table tennis – 14:00-17:00 – St Leonard’s Land Dance Studio
If you would like to participate, or find out more information, follow the link to the Sport Union’s website.
“Youth Olympic Games Singapore 2010” by Eustaquio Santimano is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.