FOUR Crewe gymnasts will compete at the World Summer Games in Los Angeles next year.

Sophie Hughes, Phoebe Lowe and Kirsty Robertson, all from Crewe, will be joined by Felicity Martin, from Wistaston, to compete in the rhytmic gymnastics at the global event.

Speical Olympics GB has announced that more than 100 athletes from across England, Scotland and Wales will be heading to next year’s 2015 World Summer Games in Los Angeles.

The World Summer Games is the global showpiece event for Special Olympics and is held every four years by the organisation for its athletes.

In the region of 7,000 athletes from 177 countries - along with 3,000 coaches, 30,000 volunteers and an anticipated 500,000 spectators – will take part in the Games.

Special Olympics GB is the largest registered charity providing year round sports training and competition opportunities for people with intellectual (learning) disabilities in England, Scotland and Wales. Almost 1.5 million people in the UK (two per cent of the population) have an intellectual disability.

The World Summer Games will commence with an opening ceremony held on 25th July 2015 in the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum - the site of the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games.

The opening ceremony is expected to attract 80,000 spectators with the Honorary Chair of the Games being President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and California Governor Jerry Brown are serving as honorary hosts for the Special Olympics World Summer Games.

The event, which will run from July 25 until August 2 2015, will be the largest sports and humanitarian event anywhere in the world in 2015. It will also be the single biggest event in Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympic Games.

The 2015 Special Olympics World Games - with unparalleled spirit, enthusiasm, teamwork, joy and displays of courage and skill, all the hallmarks of all Special Olympics events - will feature 28 sports at venues throughout the Los Angeles region.

Special Olympics is an international organisation that changes lives through the power of sport by encouraging and empowering people with intellectual disabilities, promoting acceptance for all.

Founded in 1968, the Special Olympics movement has grown from a few hundred athletes to more than 4 million athletes in 177 countries in all regions of the world, providing year round sports training and competition.

Special Olympics GB CEO Karen Wallin said: "I am delighted that we are able to take such a large team to represent the country at what should be an incredible World Summer Games in Los Angeles.

"This should be a Games to remember and we send our sincere congratulations to everyone who has reached the team. We will be proud of every athlete and we know they will strive to be the very best they can. We will bring home medals but most importantly our athletes will obtain memories, friendships and experiences to last a lifetime.”

Janet Froetscher, Special Olympics’ Global CEO, commented: “In 300 days, thousands of Special Olympics athletes from over 170 countries will take the global stage in Los Angeles to compete in the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, living out their dreams and showing the world their determination, hard work and bravery.

“I congratulate the 116 Special Olympics Great Britain athletes who are heading to the Games next summer. These Games will give us an opportunity to raise awareness for the nearly 200 million people worldwide with intellectual disabilities and create more inclusive communities and a more inclusive world for everyone.”

If you would like to find out more about Special Olympics GB & the World Summer Games, please visit www.specialolympicsgb.org.uk