The big day of the torch relay in the Saarpfalz district as part of the Special Olympics National Games Saarland on Saturday 13 June is just around the corner. With its third stop at around 5 pm as part of the LVM Saarland Trofeo in Blickweiler, the torch relay day will culminate in a joint closing ceremony for the torch runners, supporter teams and the Trofeo community on the village square in Blickweiler.
District Administrator Frank John: "With this event, we are also emphasising that the torch relay stands for community, cohesion and the unifying power of sport in a special way. Taking part will also be something special for me. I hope to see many visitors along the route who will be inspired, who will cheer on the runners and cyclists and who will then join us for the convivial finale around the Trofeo award ceremony on the village square in Blickweiler."
Blieskastel's mayor Bernd Hertzler and the head of Blickweiler, Walter Boßlet, who will both be involved in the torch handover, are also looking forward to the upcoming event. Interior Minister Reinhold Jost has also announced his attendance.
The Olympic flame, the "flame of hope", burns in a miner's lamp carried in Blickweiler by Kaja Hurth and Michael Keck in an inclusive tandem.
Kaja Hurth is an 18-year-old young woman who inspires with her open, friendly and cheerful manner. After attending the all-day community school in Neunkirchen, she now works in the vocational training centre at the Saarpfalz workshop for adapted work. Kaja is extremely committed there and enjoys taking part in the wide range of programmes and activities. Whether at the annual workshop festival, at internal events or at public performances by the WE Move group, in which she actively participates as a dancer: Kaja is always enthusiastic and actively involved.
Exercise also plays an important role in her free time. She enjoys playing tennis and has been dancing with TV Bierbach for many years. Anyone who attends the Kappensitzungen can regularly see Kaja in her impressive dance performances.
Kaja is a lovely, open and warm personality who inspires many people with her positive attitude. She appreciates the little things in life and lives by the motto: "Being there is everything!" With her joy of togetherness and her active lifestyle, she is a valuable part of the community and a role model for active participation.
Michael Keck, who was born in Franconia and lives in Niederwürzbach, is a former German badminton player who won German championship titles as a junior. The Olympic participant and runner-up in the European Championships was one of the figureheads of German badminton in the 1990s. After more than twelve years as a sports soldier in the German Armed Forces and his subsequent work in the Ministry of Education, Michael Keck now works for the Saarland police force. The 57-year-old is still active in sport today - but without a badminton racket, purely for fitness and fun.
The torch relay starts at 5 p.m. in Blickweiler and runs around 700 metres to the finish arch of the Trofeo circuit in the centre of the village. The torchbearer tandem will be accompanied by a large group of runners from the Saarpfalz-Werkstatt (SWA) in Blieskastel, members of the SV 1919 Blickweiler-Breitfurt e.V. sports club, the Blickweiler gymnastics club, the Blickweiler tennis club and other individuals.
After the run and the speeches on stage, the SWA "We move" dance group will entertain with performances. Food and drinks will be provided by the Blickweiler fire brigade and the village community.
Background
With a big torch relay day on Saturday 13 June, organised by the Saarpfalz district and Saarpfalz-Touristik, the focus is on the biggest inclusive multi-sport event of the year in Germany with around 4,300 athletes with intellectual disabilities. They will be competing in 27 different sports.
In addition to Blickweiler, two further stages of the torch relay will take place in Medelsheim in the morning and in Homburg in the early afternoon. The stations in Medelsheim and Blickweiler are embedded in the traditional Trofeo, the LVM Saarland Trofeo is once again part of the UCI Junior Nations Cup and thus the world's most important race series in junior cycling.