This year, we at First Step PE are looking forward to the festival of sport that is the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. From July 28th to August 8th, we’ll be watching 6,500 athletes taking part in a massive 286 sessions of sport. This is the third time the Games have come to the UK in recent years, and they are set to be one of the most iconic yet!

The international sports event involves athletes from the Commonwealth, first held in 1930, and every four years since. Barring a brief hiatus due to WW2, the games have continued to evolve, with the 20th and 21st centuries, creating the Commonwealth Winter Games, Paraplegic Games, and Youth Games.

The Games will cover a host of venues across the city and the West Midlands. The legacy of the Games continues to bear fruit, as opportunities for investment, leisure centres, business development, and volunteer opportunities far surpass the 19 sports and 8 para-sports available across 11 days.

Women’s Cricket and Wheelchair Basketball will be making their debut this year. Super Sundays, two days of sporting variety, will feature the Women’s T20 final, the netball final, and the women’s hockey final. Look out for Perry, the official mascot of the games designed by a creative ten-year-old, symbolising the strength of the city and the Games.

After a disappointing show in Athletics, the country will be looking forward to seeing our athletes excel this summer. Especially Dina Asher-Smith, who will be hoping for a breakout performance in the women’s 100m. Squash will see Sarah-Jane Perry, a Brum native, who promoted the opening of a new squash court at King Solomon Business School.

Adam Peaty MBE will be looking to add to his consecutive golds in the 100m Breaststroke. Especially after his successful bid in Tokyo and the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, where he swapped the streamline of the water for dancing shoes! Artistic Gymnastics will be looking for Max Whitlock MBE to add another medal to the Gold he won at Tokyo, with another excellent performance on the mats this summer.

Want to add your own Festival of Sport to your PE roster? Have a look at what we offer and get into the spirit of the Games for your PE planning!