Griffith Uni at Southport hosted the twenty sixth Invitational Special Athletics Champs today, with almost 1,000 kids competing.

Meanwhile, the Brisbane Lions Reserves are winding up for their first State League Grand Final in more than a decade.

Sam Canavan reports.

TRANSCRIPT

Titans stars were on hand to watch athletics stars of the future at the Gold Coast’s only carnival for children with a disability.

Luke Bailey, Titans Prop: “Seeing all the smiles on the kids’ faces is unbelievable, and they really try hard in the events.”

Fun and participation was the order of the day, with a lot of vocal crowd support.

Vox Pop 1:”We’re all friends with all of them here.”

Vox pop 2:”It’s just so good to see them run and have fun.”

Back in 1986 this event had only 72 competitors, today it’s grown to house almost a thousand kids from 34 schools, running, jumping, and throwing across the day, and loving every minute of it.

In fact, the carnival’s grown so large it’s reached capacity, with a waiting list of schools wanting in on the athletics action.

Anna-Louise Kassulke, Carnival Co-ordinator: “Bring on the Commonwealth Games I say, we’ll use all those venues!”

The day was especially significant given the recent exploits of Australian paralympians on the world’s biggest sporting stage.

Anna-Louise Kassulke, Carnical Co-ordinator: “The Paralympic team arriving here today and here we are celebrating I guess, with 900 children and, who knows, future Paralympians amongst this group.”

In Brisbane today the Lions Reserves had their last full training session before Sunday’s State League Grand Final against the Northern Territory.

Brisbane will field one of its strongest sides of the year – bolstered by the return of Senior stars Claye Beams and Amon Buchanan.

Billy Longer, Lions Ruckman: “Very excited, it’s not every day you get to play a Grand Final.”

Sunday’s game starts at 2 o’clock at Yeronga.

Sam Canavan, QUT News.