Prince Harry to be "School Games President"

Prince Harry has become president of the Sainsbury's School Games.
In backing the multi-sport event, the prince will help to highlight the role that competitive sport can play in making a difference in young people's lives.
The finals for the first ever Games, involving 1,600 elite young athletes, took place at ExCel and the Olympic Park.

Prince Harry said : "Huge congratulations to everyone who has taken part in the inaugural School Games, but especially to those who have won.
"I believe that sport can give people confidence and skills which set you up for life. It is so important to get outside and to keep physically and mentally fit."I am very honoured to become the president of the School Games."

The Games is a year-round school sports initiative, which uses the inspiration of London's Olympics and Paralympics to transform competitive sport in schools and get more people playing.

Thousands of schools across the country have signed up to take part in local class versus class and school versus school competitions, along with county-wide sports festivals.
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was "thrilled" that Prince Harry is backing the games, adding: "He is a great sportsman in his own right and I'm sure his support and enthusiasm will be a massive inspiration to all the young people who take part in every stage of the Sainsbury's School Games."


By Press Association

Prince Harry to meet injured service athletes in US trip

Prince Harry is to meet a group of wounded UK service personnel and take part in a tournament called Warrior Games, during a short trip to the US.

Harry will also receive a humanitarian prize in Washington for his charitable work with injured military personnel.

The Warrior Games is an event hosted every year by the US Olympic Committee.

Wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans compete in Paralympic-style sporting events.

More than 200 competitors took part in the games in Colorado last week and the British team competed in archery, cycling, swimming, track and field and sitting volleyball.

The UK team, which was funded by the charity Help For Heroes, will meet Prince Harry later at the home of the British Ambassador, Sir Peter Westmacott.

The 27-year-old Harry will then travel to a hotel to be presented with the Atlantic Council's 2012 award for distinguished humanitarian leadership.

He is a patron of the Walking With The Wounded charity, and is a prominent supporter of ABF The Soldiers' Charity and Help For Heroes.

Prince Harry to meet 2012 Warrior Games competitors in Washington

Prince Harry will meet some of the top competitors from the 2012 Warrior Games following the conclusion of the event at a special reception on May 7 at the British Ambassador's residence in Washington, it has been announced.

The Warrior Games, presented by Deloitte, will see over 200 wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans compete in an Olympic-style competition when it takes place for the third consecutive year in Colorado Springs, United States, from April 30 to May 5.

It will be hosted by US Paralympics, the Paralympic division of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).

For the first time ever, Britain will be competing at the event and Prince Harry will meet members of both the British and American Warrior Games teams in Washington.

The announcement gives further prestige to the event after it was revealed this week that First Lady Michelle Obama will attend the Opening Ceremony.


This came as the British Armed Forces team boarded their plane to the competition in a trip supported and funded by the UK charity Help for Heroes (H4H).

The UK squad of 21 will compete in the five sports of archery, cycling, swimming, track and field and sitting volleyball.

The wounded personnel who will be taking part in the Games include: Private Pa Njie; Private Thomas Lawlor; Captain Simon Maxwell; Sergeant Colin Hamilton; Captain David Henson; Corporal Karl Hubberstey; Trooper Corie Mapp; Guardsman Apisalome Matiyavi; Miss Samantha Bowen; Lance Corporal Maurillia Simpson; Private Declan Hill; Corporal Claire Edwards; and Private Scott Meenagh.

As an additional honour, Captain Simon Maxwell has been selected as an honorary Torchbearer for the event alongside First Lieutenant Melissa Stockwell of the US Army.

Stockwell from Chicago is an Iraq veteran while Maxwell from Croydon in England is an Afghanistan veteran.

The pair will light the cauldron together to officially start the event.

"We are delighted that Help for Heroes will support a UK team into such a high profile US event," said Bryn Parry, the chief executive and co-founder of Help for Heroes.

"Our participation in the Warrior Games is significant in raising awareness of the work that takes place worldwide in supporting wounded, injured and sick Service personnel, especially as we approach a busy year in sport."

The British Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir David Richards, also praised Britain's involvement in the event.

"The 2012 Wounded Warrior Games are a great opportunity for our wounded and injured service personnel to show off their sporting prowess and to demonstrate the fantastic rehabilitation they have received through sport," he said.

"This will be the first time the UK has fielded a team in these games and this underlines the special relationship the UK and the US Armed Forces continue to share.

"I am proud to support the UK team and wish them the very best of luck for success in the Wounded Warrior Games."

The competition is also supported by the Department of Defense, US Department of Veterans Affairs, USO, Fisher House Foundation, The Daniels Fund, AT&T, BP, DeVry, Anheuser Busch and Chobani.

By Tom Degun/Contact:- tom.degun@insideworldparasport.biztom.degun@insideworldparasport.biz