On Wednesday 7 June, the European Youth Games for the Disabled Emil Open started with the rich accompanying program. The Tap Tap band heated up the fans on Svobody Square and the showman Jan Kraus invited his guests.
Already at 1 PM, the rich accompanying program at the Svobody Square started at Emil Open 2017. All could try wheelchair rugby and then to stay for the dancing exhibition prepared by the basic school F. D. Roosevelta.
The ambassadors Emil Open Jan Kraus and Jiří Ježek attended with the athletes´ representatives – swimmer Arnošt Petráček and the golf player Ashley Harris the media meeting after the Cup of Wine. The mayor of Brno Petr Vokřál, the Deputy of the Governor of the South Moravian Region Taťána Malá and the Emil Foundation director Jana Procházková welcomed all participants and opened the games.
The Paralympic champion in swimming and the world record holder Arnošt Petráček looks forward to the games very much. „The program with the opening and closing ceremony reminds me of the real Paralympics. Brno is a beautiful city and I hope I will help the young swimmers to get the motivation to compete at the Paralympics one day,“ he said at the press conference.
Also the golf player Ashley Harris praised the facilities in Brno: „I arrived yesterday and I have already been to the golf course. I liked it very much and I am very satisfied with the conditions here in Brno,“ said Harris.
The Governor of the South Moravian Region Bohumil Šimek appreciated the contribution of Emil Open and also the Emil Foundation. He stressed the strong emotional stories of a strong will, hardiness and pushing one´s limits. “I look forward to the unique atmosphere which will be created in Brno and I will come to support the athletes personally anytime my schedule allows me to.”
Program culminated with the opening ceremony at 4PM which was followed by the Tap Tap band concert one hour after. The Tap Tap is a band created by the disabled musicians. After that, the famous Czech actor and moderator Jan Kraus welcomed his secret guests on his red sofa in his popular talkshow at 6PM. He was ready for the autograph session till 7:30PM.
The red sofa was this time reserved for the leader of The Tap Šimon Ornest, athlete Kateřina Nováková, swimmer Arnošt Petráček, and the speaker of Krokodýl radio Jiří Wiener.
The South Moravian metropolis will welcome altogether 714 participants these days, 449 amateur and professional sportsmen within the number from 16 countries.
