STAR: Iwan Thomas to present the prizes.

SOUTHAMPTON will have a big-ger presence than most at the first BAA Southampton Airport Hampshire Youth Games later this month.

A total of 227 competitors representing 17 teams makes the local authority's entry one of the largest in the Olympic-style games to be staged at Southampton Sports Centre and Fleming Park Leisure Centre on Saturday, May 29.

Nine of Hampshire's local authorities and the Isle of Wight will be vying for supremacy in the seven sports of athletics, basket-ball, tennis, hockey, netball, swimming and girls' football. There will also be events for young people with learning disabilities included in the football and swimming programmes.

In all 2,000 Hampshire hopefuls, ranging from 11 to 15 years of age, will take part. The two major prizes on offer are the over-all trophy for the winning authority and a fairplay award for outstanding sportsmanship.

The Games were launched by Iwan Thomas earlier this year and the organisers hope that the European and Commonwealth 400 metres champion will be there to present the prizes.

The Hampshire event is one of around 40 similar area youth games due to be held over the next two years as part of the BAA Millennium Youth Games programme developed by Sport England (formerly the English Sports Council) and sponsored by BAA.

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