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Last chance to sign up for Wednesday's 1866 Olympics

Posted by mjs76 at Jun 11, 2012 11:26 AM |
If you haven't yet volunteered to compete in, or help out with, the Grand Olympic Festival of 1866 this Wednesday, there is still time to put your name forward. The event runs from 11.00am to 3.00pm on the Wyggeston and QE1 College rugby pitch, at the corner of Welford Road and Victoria Park Road. (The forecast for Wednesday is mostly dry.)

Starting with the 100 yards dash (slightly shorter than the 100 metres), the programme of events continues with sitting volleyball (a paralympic event that wasn't around in 1866, to provide contrast), then the tug o'war, putting the stone, goal ball (another modern variant), the two-mile walk, tossing the cricket ball, long jump and finally the 200 yards hurdles.

Victorian costume for competitors is encouraged - long white short and big clumpy boots - and for spectators too, although it's not obligatory. Please contact Kerri Wheeler, kew22@le.ac.uk if you want to take part.

This is a unique event: the University of Leicester is the only university to have staged an Olympic event on its campus so join us to help celebrate our legacy. And for anyone concerned about the weather, please remember that the Empire of Her Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria was not forged by people who minded the risk of a light shower!

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