Blind/vision impaired children and school friends take on new sports challenge at University of Limerick

Wednesday 27^th November 2019, Vision Sports Ireland in association with the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) encourage children with or without a vision impairment to participate in the forthcoming Inclusion Games with sole purpose of trying out new sports.

The Mid West Vision Sports Inclusion Games takes place on Thursday 5^th December at the University of Limerick (UL) Sports Centre. The event will bring able-bodied and vision impaired people together for a day of sport and friendship building, with specific emphasis on people aged under 25.

Recently crowned World Para Athletics 100m champion Jason Smyth, Inclusion Games Ambassador said “these games provide an ideal platform to increase participation in sport and leisure activities for children and young people who are blind or vision impaired and for their sighted peers to see how games can be modified to include their vision impaired friends. Participants will try out athletics, football, tennis, swimming and tug of war and then hopefully bring these sports back to their schools and communities.”

Games Director Alex Whelan says “We are honoured to host our first ever regional Inclusion Games at the UL. The University and its sports centre have a reputation for being so open and inclusive. Already there is widespread support and interest to attend these games as it is an opportunity for school principals and PE teachers to bring sport for disability to a whole new level in their school.”

It is hoped to run 9 similar regional events nationwide with schools and colleges over the next three years. Within this timeframe, Vision Sports Ireland aim to increase sport participation by blind and vision impaired children and youth by more than 150%”

Vision Sports Ireland President, eminent eye surgeon and regular media contributor Prof. Michael O’Keeffe, will open the Games at 10am on Thursday 5^th December.