Months of training, competition and
preparation are set to come to a head for thousands of youngsters
this weekend when they take part in the biggest sporting event of
their lives.

More than 30,000 children from more
than 500 schools across the county set out on the road to the Kent
School Games finals almost a year ago.

From today until Sunday, there will be
more than 50 different competition finals taking place at venues
across Canterbury.

The games have given youngsters aged
four to 16 the chance to compete in 38 sports, including disability
sports.

Around 6,000 youngsters from primary,
secondary and special schools are set to take part in what is
believed to be the largest school sports event in Europe.

Young golfers will take to the course
at Broome Park Golf Club while hockey players from across the
county will take to the pitch at Polo Farm.

Dame Kelly Holmes on the
Kent School Games

Canterbury High School will host
trampolining, beach volleyball, athletics, sports stacking and
multi-skills decathlon for year one and two pupils.

The University of Kent will play host
to basketball, disability archery and football, futsal, tennis,
football, netball and tri-golf.

Kingsmead Leisure Centre will host the
swimming and table tennis competitions while Simon Langton Boys
school will host rock climbing demonstrations and court
volleyball.

Canterbury Christ Church University
will host the badminton events.

Brabourne CEP School's Key Step Gymnastics team (pictured
below) have already been crowned Year 1/2 county champs for
the second year running after the final last Thursday in
Maidstone.

Kingsdown Primary School won the Year
3/4 competition and St James CEJ School won the Year 5/6
competition.

The Games finals were officially opened last week by double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes and Kent County Council leader Paul Carter at an event in Maidstone.

The Kent School Disability Games were
opened by Paralympic champion Danny Crates yesterday and more than
500 youngsters with disabilities will compete in athletics, boccia,
cycling, new age kurling, rowing, sitting volleyball, swimming and
table cricket.

The Kent School Games, organised by Kent County Council and supported since last October's launch by the KM Group, was the brainchild of Cllr Carter.

He said: "My aim was to raise the
profile of competitive school sports and give young people the
opportunity to enjoy the immense pleasure of taking part in
sport.

"I'm delighted the Kent School Games
has been recognised nationally and am confident this event will
continue to grow."