The opening ceremony of the 60th Edition of the National School Games will be held, this Monday, July 1, at 6:30 in the afternoon, at the Havana Sports City Coliseum, headquarters of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (Inder), and not at the Sports Initiation School (EIDE Mártires de Barbados), as previously planned.
The news was announced by the director of programming and sports organization of Inder, Agustín Abril, who also confirmed that the closing ceremony will take place on July 15 at the EIDE Capitán Orestes Acosta, in the province of Santiago de Cuba.
The sports festival is already experiencing its actions with the entry into competition of boxing in Guantanamo, the easternmost of the Cuban provinces, and tennis here in the capital, starting this Thursday, while today, Friday, fencing began in the capital’s territory, weightlifting in Mayabeque and men’s handball in Santiago de Cuba.
In this context, Yadira Rodríguez, head of school sports, reported that 33 school disciplines have been called, 12 among youth and for the first time a Pioneer competition will be held.
For his part, Master of Science Ramón Ají, head of school sports at a national level, specifically stated that there will be events for athletes with disabilities: athletics, judo, table tennis, badminton and swimming, and highlighted the fact that there will be a mascot, created to give more promotion and visibility to the competition for the 60th anniversary of its founding, named Catín.
While Agustín Abril commented on the importance of holding the School Games, despite the limitations that the country is going through.
An additional challenge, which always had the support of the country’s leadership, was to reward these Cuban adolescents and young athletes, said the senior INDER official.
Even so, they, the protagonists, assume the competition as a fight where they can show their potential and represent the pavilions of their provinces and localities.
