The 23rd June has been set aside by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), as an annual Olympic Day for all of its member countries to celebrate Olympism in meaningful ways. Initially, for some years, the day was identified to all through the staging of the Olympic Day Run – which was a low key casual non-competitive walk/stroll/jog/run as a means of bringing communities together in a casual event that celebrated Olympism without the stringently competitive and patriotic fervor of the Olympic Games, but rather a fun event in which the whole community could participate and enjoy.
In later years, meaningful variation, to commemorate the day, was initiated by different countries, and in addition, there is currently a “spreading” of activities prior to, and after Olympic Day. It is the only annual worldwide event of the Olympic Movement which sees the majority of 205 National Olympic Committees on the five continents taking advantage of this occasion to share the Olympic spirit - an opportunity to come together and promote Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.
Here at home, the Bermuda Olympic Association initially enjoyed some success in it’s staging of Olympic Day Runs, even to the point of gaining worldwide recognition for one of the events by being featured on the outside front cover of a key Olympic Magazine. However, with the ever increasingly crowded running and walking calendar, we - like others – continue to promote unique ways of celebrating the occasion and bringing awareness to Bermuda, about Sport and the Olympic Movement.
Later In the year, we will be making a presentation which will outline all of the Olympic Week activities that the Bermuda Olympic Association is planning. However, at this time we wish to concentrate our publicity for the second Olympic Sports Quiz that has been planned. In that regard, this event will be an opportunity to spread knowledge throughout the community about the history of Bermuda’s sport history - both at home and abroad. The exciting quiz contest will test the knowledge of participants about Bermuda’s sport heroes, as well as those who pioneered the development of individual sports in Bermuda from as early as the 1700s.
Beginning in the week of Olympic Day – which this year falls on a Sunday – teams will battle through preliminary rounds of the contest that will culminate in a grand gala final at the Hamilton Princess Hotel on Saturday June 29, 2013.
