The Olympic spirit

Last week I beat an Olympic champion at tennis. OK, an ex-Olympic champion. A water-polo ex-Olympic champion. And it was Wii tennis (the video game). And he’d never played before. But a win’s a win, right?

It was at a fantastic event which the Embassy supported. A competition for able-bodied children and children with disabilities to celebrate 100 days to go to the London Olympics. We supported it together with the Hungarian Paralympic Committee. More than 100 children competed in swimming, tennis, fencing, boxing, kayaking, table tennis, running and 3-pointers throwing competitions. And the winners got London Olympic gear – including the two mascots Wenlock and Mandeville. There are nice stories behind the mascots. Take a look at the mascots’ website. And while the serious competition was going on I got a chance to challenge an Olympian.

The mix of Olympic and Paralympic is a key part of the London events. As the country to have hosted the first ever disability sports event at Stoke Mandeville in 1948, we have a strong international reputation for leading the way in disability rights and raising awareness of disability sport.We’re really proud that it was the UK which launched sport for disabled people and that we’ve continued to champion the Paralympics since.

The Wii competition happened in the afternoon. That morning we’d organised a 100m race to celebrate the 100 days to go mark. I didn’t distinguish myself quite so well there. Beaten by roughly 40 of the 65 children who ran with me. Plus quite a few current Hungarian Paralympians and ex Hungarian Olympians.

But again it was a really good event which we held at the Marczibányi Sport Center in Buda. It was great to see so many youngsters so excited by the coming Games and the spectacle we’re expecting in London.

So, less than 100 days to go now. We’re in the home stretch for the preparations. In London pretty much everything is ready: on time and on budget. And here we plan just one or two more events in the build up.

I can’t wait.