A team from Epsom & Ewell took runners-up spot for the second year in a row at the 2019 Better Club Games, representing the borough to compete against 500 over 55-year-olds at the an Olympic-style event for older people, held at the Copper Box Arena, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Thursday 19th September.
The annual event was run by the UK’s largest public leisure provider Better, the consumer facing brand of charitable social enterprise GLL. Now in its 14th year, the event aims to encourage older people to become more active and to highlight the social and physical benefits that sporting activities can offer to individuals of all ages.
Participants took part in eleven sports including walking football, walking netball, badminton, short tennis, table tennis, darts, short mat bowls, timed cycle, timed swim and dominoes.
Proudly representing their boroughs and districts the teams were drawn from across London and the South including: Barnet, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Epsom and Ewell, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hillingdon, Kensington & Chelsea, Islington, Lambeth, Merton, Reigate and Banstead, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Rugby and Sutton.
In a repeat of last year’s top two, Greenwich retained their 2018 title, as Epsom and Ewell took the runners-up spot, ahead of Sutton in third place.
“I am incredibly proud of the team from the Rainbow Leisure Centre in Epsom who represented Epsom & Ewell at this year’s games. Our Club Lead Alison McDowall works tirelessly to fill the spaces on the team and encourage our members to participate in sport at all levels at this iconic venue. They should all be very proud of their achievement. “ Said Darren Pope, General Manager, Rainbow Leisure Centre & Spa, Epsom
The Mayor of Epsom and Ewell Councillor John Beckett and the Mayoress joined the Epsom and Ewell team and they got the chance to see many of the team members competing in the events.
Epsom and Ewell were pipped into second place in the Badminton final which went down to the wire.
Epsom and Ewell took first in the timed cycling event and Cllr Beckett had the honour of presenting the winning team with their medals and trophy.
