Colorado Springs Set To Welcome 10,000 Athletes For 2009 State Games of America | Sports Destination Management

Colorado Springs Set To Welcome 10,000 Athletes For 2009 State Games of America

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Nov 18, 2008

Colorado Springs will once again be the host of America's largest Olympic-style multi-sport festival for amateur athletes when 10,000 athletes come to the city for the 2009 State Games of America, July 30-August 2.

Elite, junior, senior, recreational athletes and Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls of the future will compete for coveted medals in 29 sports on the program of the national event staged in the city which is the home of the United States Olympic Committee and some 50 national and international sports organizations and National Governing Bodies.

The State Games of America is a property of the National Congress of State Games, and the event is hosted by the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation. The event was held in Colorado Springs in 2005 and 2007. A record 10,803 athletes from 47 states competed in the event in 2007 in Colorado Springs. San Diego will host the Games in 2011.

There is a sport for almost any amateur athlete in the United States in the Games, no matter their age, skills, or ultimate dream. By the way, it's estimated that as much as 20% of athletes on recent U.S. Olympic Teams have competed in a state games.

The colorful Opening Ceremony is set for at the Colorado Springs World Arena on July 30. Major sport venues include the United States Air Force Academy, the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Fort Carson, and The Colorado College.

The State Games of America is the premier, national multi-sport event for athletes of all ages and abilities held every biennium. Medal winners from 49 state games nationwide earn the right to compete against other winners and match their skills and competitive desire in a national arena.

The State Games concept was developed in New York in 1978 with the Empire State Games. In 2006, more than 500,000 athletes competed in State Games nationwide. State Games feature various sports of the Olympic and Pan American Games as well as sports that have regional popularity within each state.

http://www.thesportscorp.org

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