Hundreds in Special Olympics GB national games
BBCAbout 1,200 athletes are involved in the Special Olympics Great Britain National Summer Games in the West Midlands.
Taking place for the first time since 2017, the games' 21-day, 15-sport programme culminates in the region staging events between Thursday and Sunday, including at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium.
Manchester rapper Aitch - a longstanding champion of inclusion inspired by his younger sister who has Down's syndrome - would be the headline performer on the opening night, organisers said.
Katie Day, from Birmingham, who will compete in the swimming, will officially open the games with athlete Greg Silvester of Wolverhampton.
Wyndley Leisure Centre in Sutton Coldfield will also host events.
The chief executive of Special Olympics GB, Laura Baxter, said it was an opportunity for "people with intellectual disabilities to be seen, heard and valued and I think that's super important".
'Changing perceptions'
She pointed out "Special Olympics is here 365 days a year" - the national charity that provides sport and physical activities.
"We provide that both on and off the field of play and it's everything from Olympic-type sports to athlete leadership to various different programmes and projects... to give people with an intellectual disability an opportunity to take part in sport."
Day said her events included the individual medley, with butterfly, breaststroke, backstroke and front crawl all in one race.
"I'm feeling very, very excited and very, very proud and honoured.
"To be honest it feels magical and for Special Olympics it's not just sport.
"It just opens the doors to life-changing opportunities, like I feel I can freely express my voice through Special Olympics, where before Special Olympics I couldn't really do that. [I] never had the confidence."
The chief executive said it was "about changing perceptions" at the charity.
"Yes, we use sport, but it's about how people are seen, so what are people seeing, it's the ability rather than the disability."
The games will be held at the Alexander Stadium soon after it hosted the European Athletics Championships.
Baxter said: "It was one of those things where you see the magnitude of the stadium and think 'this is gonna be an amazing moment for our athletes'.
"Everybody deserves that moment in sport, so to have it on the same stage is just incredible."
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