Slovenia hosts 31st Hospital Olympic Games

For the past three decades Slovenia has been organising an annual Olympic Games-themed event for children whose health condition means they are away from school a lot. Taking place at a major rehabilitation centre, this year's event featured 42 children participating in three sports disciplines.

Held at the University Rehabilitation Institute (URI) Soča in Ljubljana, the 31st Hospital Olympic Games featured 20 children who have been treated at the centre this year and are now attending a hospital school alongside 22 third formers from the Ledina Primary School, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

Bearing in mind that it is not the winning but the taking part that counts, the kids competed in pairs, and each pair included a child who has undergone a lengthy rehabilitation process and their peer from Ledina, URI Soča said.

There were three sports disciplines adjusted to the children's physical abilities - cycling or wheelchair rides, bowling with the help of a ramp, and curling.

The children also learned about paraclimbing, an activity the centre hosts twice a week.

The event had a real Olympic feel to it as an Olympic torch was lit and the participants sang the Olympic anthem and took the Olympic oath.

The person to open the Games was paralympian Živa Lavrinc, an archer who together with Dejan Fabčič won the bronze medal at the Paris Paralympics last year.