Lynchburg, Va. – Virginia’s Olympics return to the Lynchburg and Liberty University with a renewed focus on inclusion.
There are 5 new sports and 3 returning sports this year – Able Baseball, Disc It, Kickball, Able Fishing, Spikeball, and the return of Archery, Indoor Archery, and Disc Golf. We have held a few competitions already this year – Able Rugby (April), part of Baseball, Kickball, Spikeball, part of Basketball Skills Challenge, Swimming, Triathlon and Wrestling were all held in May, June and early July. To date over 3,400 athletes have competed in the Games in 2023.
The Virginia Commonwealth Games has made it a mission to broaden its sport offering to include athletes who may have a physical and/or intellectual disability. It is important all athletes feel included and are given the opportunity to not only win a medal, but to have an unforgettable experience while participating in a sport they enjoy. In 2023, the Virginia Commonwealth Games will be hosting the Able Games composed of 5 different events: rugby, baseball, fishing, soccer, and track & field. As excited as we are with the introduction of the Able Games, these 5 events will just scratch the surface. The goal is to add more opportunities each year for these amazing athletes. We look forward to the future of the Able Games.
There are 5 events kicking off this weekend – Able Baseball, Adult Softball (Peaksview Park), Pickleball (Liberty University), Racquetball (Liberty University), and All Star Baseball (Liberty University). Again this year, we will have Live Streaming of the All Star Baseball Tournament games (provided by Liberty University). The link for viewing the All Star Baseball Games, as well as the team rosters are on our website.
Main Games weekend (July 20-23) will bring 13 sports to Lynchburg and the surrounding area, 1 in Roanoke, 1 in Christiansburg and Chess is virtual – for a total of 16 sports in 4 days. It is sure to be a great weekend of competition and performances, including over 130 basketball teams.
After a successful revamp last year, the Tailgate Party and Opening Ceremonies will continue with the same concept for 2023. The Parade of Athletes will kick off at 5:30pm, leading into Opening Ceremonies, which will feature the newly crowned Miss VA, the Lighting of the cauldron and the official kicking off the Games. The Tailgate party will begin at 6pm following the conclusion of the Opening Ceremonies - athletes will receive their complimentary food with their Games wristband, as well as some extra goodies. There will be lots of games, activities and so much more! All of the festivities will take place from 5:30-8pm on Friday, July 21st in the LU Indoor Football Practice Facility. Both events Friday evening are free to the public and open to the community.
Liberty University President Prevo said “We’re honored to be hosting the Virginia Commonwealth Games for the eighth consecutive summer, and we appreciate everyone who has made this event possible. We look forward to welcoming the participants and their families to Lynchburg as these talented athletes exhibit their skills during this week’s competitions.”
“We are proud to partner with Liberty University and Virginia Amateur Sports to host the 2023 Commonwealth Games and, most importantly, to welcome all of the athletes, families and friends to our City,” said City of Lynchburg Mayor Stephanie T. Reed. “The Commonwealth Games bring thousands of athletes to the City and we are thrilled that both the number of participants and the impact they have in Lynchburg continues to grow. While you are here, we encourage you to explore all Lynchburg has to offer - from fantastic food offerings to historic sites and exciting outdoor activities. We hope you enjoy your time in the Hill City.”
We are proud to partner with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank again this year, in an effort to Torch Hunger. We launched a text to donate campaign, with a goal of providing meals to area families in need. You can learn more about the campaign by texting BRFOODBANK to 44-321.
Main Games weekend upholds a positive reputation with the community for bolstering tourism and serving as an economic engine to the host city each year. For 34 years the Virginia Commonwealth Games have provided excellent opportunities for thousands of Virginians to develop and foster new relationships, establish new goals and personal bests, while at the same time learning teamwork, sportsmanship, as well as individual team responsibilities.