Aldersley to host games
The 29th National Dwarf Games will be taking place at Aldersley Leisure Village next week.
It will see 186 athletes competing for the first time in two years after the pandemic, in events from athletics to swimming to basketball and rifle shooting between Friday, April 29 and Monday, May 2.
It is hosted by the Dwarf Sports Association UK (DSAUK) of which Ellie Simmonds OBE is patron.
She will be attending the event along with 2021 Paralympic medallist Krysten Coombs and Olivia Broome.
On the Sunday there will also be a demonstration of a new Joni step through bike for riders with disproportionate dwarfism developed by Shropshire manufacturer Islabikes and Black Country engineer Dave Bowater. It was designed in partenership with DSAUK members.
The DSAUK was founded by Arthur Dean and fellow members of the Restricted Growth Association (RGA) at the 1993 annual conference.
It followed Dean's participation in the first World Dwarf Games in Chicago, organised by the Dwarf Athletic Association of America (DAAA).
In 2014 Arthur and Penny Dean were both honoured with OBEs for their work over many years supporting and developing sport for people with dwarfism and restricted growth.
The games were last held in the West Midlands in 2014 when jointly hosted by Birmingham and Wolverhampton and attracted 200 athletes.
Organisers say the event has grown significantly in the wake of the 2012 Paralympics which 'put disability sport on the map.'
Tim Shephard from DSAUK said for some members it would be their first time at the games.
He said: "The national games is such a brilliant weekend for people who have a dwarfism condition, for to be able to compete equally is just so very inspiring for all.
"The association is very proud of its members, especially those who have gone onto reach national, international and paralympic success. "Ellie will be there to encourage and inspire the athletes and enjoy the games.
"Many of the people who have gone on to international success like her began their sporting life at the games as children."
For more information about the games visit the website at www.dsauk.org.
