Kent School Games 2014, the countywide sports competition for school-aged children and teenagers, will reach its highlight on Wednesday at the University of Kent in Canterbury.

More than 1,000 competitors, together with former Olympians, Kent County Council dignitaries and political sports leaders, will gather for the Grand Final and Showcase event.

The day runs from 10am to 5pm and will be the highlight of 11 days of final competitions in June and July. It will be opened by Minister for Sport Helen Grant MP.

There will be eight different finals including disability football, tag rugby and disability tag rugby, handball for girls and boys, infant agility, sportshall, mixed netball and tri-golf. Further finals take place at Canterbury High School on the same day in the disability super 8s athletics and the super 8s athletics.

Paul Carter, leader of KCC, said: “As we enter an increasingly competitive and global market in the 21st century, I believe it is vital to provide those with the sporting talent and prowess with the competitive platform to be able to compete at the highest level.

“Kent School Games provides just such a platform for many outstanding young sports girls and boys to compete and win at county level and move on to the national competitive arena through the School Games programme.”

Stephanie Holt, head of culture and sport for KCC, said: “The Kent School Games are for many girls and boys, their first opportunity to experience a competitive arena at a county level.

“Kent School Games are creating a countywide fast track for young people to compete throughout their primary and secondary school education and move on to top level adult competition.”

Kent School Games 2014 is organised by KCC’s Sport and Physical Activity Service and supported by Sainsbury’s.

It was officially launched in November 2013 and since then, the games have seen 130 schools compete at dozens of finals events, involving 2,233 young sports girls and boys (129 with special education needs and disabilities).

Timetable: football (disability) 10am-4pm; tag rugby fair play (mixed) 10am-4pm; disability tag rugby (mixed) 10am-2.30pm; handball (girls & boys) 10am-4pm; infant agility 10am-1pm; sportshall 1.30pm-5pm; netball (mixed) 10.30am-3.30pm; tri-golf 1pm-3pm; cheerleading demonstration & workshop 10.30am-12.30pm.