Last Thursday, the spirit and values of Olympism floated high at the Gazelle school where local schoolchildren welcomed their counterparts from the Tour Magne and Jean-Jacques-Rousseau schools as part of the Olympic Games more true to life that the USEP (Sports Union for Primary Education) of Gard had concocted for them.
Reading of the oath of probity of the athletes and referees, presentation of the Olympic flag with the five rings, musical parade of the delegations and their mascot, lighting of the Olympic cauldron, flight of a hot-air balloon symbolizing a release of doves, diplomas, medals and cups … Represented by its president, Olivier Bombasaro, and his alter ego Alain Haon, USEP Gard delegate, USEP Gard had put the small dishes in the big ones and nothing was missing to make this sporting day real Olympics.
Supervised by students from the INSPE of Nîmes, in full respect of barrier gestures, the 187 juvenile boys and girls athletes quickly got into the game by competing in the various events that were on the menu for the day (race of mixed endurance in teams of twelve, 30 meters, long jump, triple jumps, medicine ball throw, vortex throw).
Beyond individual and collective performances, aspiring athletes had the opportunity to share a great moment of conviviality and enthusiasm as only sport can generate. Winners or losers, each of the participants left with a smile on their face with a diploma and / or a medal.
“The most important thing is to participate but I am happy to have had a gold medal “, explained Raphaël, certainly a competitor but obviously very imbued with the spirit of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympic Games. The talented Alissya was no less proud than her little comrade: “It’s good that there were also medals for the girls. I had 3 …“
The little story will remember that it was Mexico which, in total accumulated medals, won the Nîmes Olympic Games ahead of France and Japan. Some athletes and surely others will meet again soon since the next appointment set by the USEP, the world tchoukball tournament
is scheduled for May 20.
Philippe GAVILLET from PENEY
* Invented in Switzerland, Tchoukball is a team ball sport that combines handball, volleyball and squash.
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