The Forth Valley Recovery Olympics took place for the second consecutive year last month, drawing in over 400 participants eager to showcase their skills in a variety of sporting events. Hosted at the Forthbank Stadium, this annual games day is organized by the Forth Valley Recovery Community (FVRC) in collaboration with Active Stirling.
The main focus of the event is on promoting recovery through sport, offering a range of activities such as the sack race, egg and spoon race, fancy dress relays, and three-legged sprints to engage the participants and encourage camaraderie. However, the 2023 edition of the event faced an unexpected hurdle as adverse weather conditions forced the organizers to cut it short after the track events, leading to the cancellation of the hungry hippo and tug of war competitions.
Despite the weather-induced setback, the teams displayed exceptional talent and determination throughout the day. FVRC Team 1 emerged victorious, clinching the top spot with an impressive total of 74 points. Team Hope secured the second position with 54 points, closely followed by Phoenix Fire in third place with 51 points.
Community activation officer Tom Gebbie from Active Stirling expressed his enthusiasm for the event, emphasizing the importance of using sports as a catalyst for positive change in the recovery journeys of participants. He commended the record number of 33 teams that participated in the games, highlighting the growing popularity of recovery sports in Scotland.
Looking ahead, Gebbie expressed his optimism for future editions of the Forth Valley Recovery Olympics, aiming to expand and enhance the event for years to come. Despite the premature conclusion of this year’s event, he applauded the resilience and sportsmanship displayed by all participants and expressed gratitude to everyone involved in making the day a success.
As the Forth Valley Recovery Olympics continues to evolve and inspire individuals on their recovery paths, the spirit of unity and determination showcased at the event serves as a beacon of hope for the future of recovery sports in the region.
