Successful XXII SELL Games
Arnold Rüütel, President of Estonia, Mrs Birute Klaas, Vice-Rector of the University of
Tartu & Mart Siimann, President of the Estonian Olympic Committee
On Sunday May 21st, the XXII SELL Games came to an end. The SELL Games receive patronage from FISU. This year’s edition of the SELL Games was staged in Tartu, Estonia from May 19th to 21st. 1,675 athletes from 84 universities representing 18 countries and regions took part in the Games. During three days of competition 97 sets of medals were handed out to the athletes who competed in 13 different sports: basketball, volleyball, mini-football, floorball, athletics, swimming, chess, judo, wrestling, orienteering, urban adventure, group gymnastics and badminton.
FISU Delegates Arto Ahola, Marian Dymalski, Sinisa Jasnic and Kairis Ulp at the Opening Ceremony
The President of the Republic of Estonia, Mr. Arnold Rüütel, attended the Opening Ceremony on Friday, May 19th and the volleyball competitions on Sunday, May 21st. The Games were also attended by a number of FISU delegates: Mr Sinica Jasnic Mr. Marian Dymalski and Mrs. Kairis Ulp FISU Assessors and Mr. Arto Ahola, FISU Marketing Manager. The first day of the Games also witnessed a successful conference with as main topic: “Why does Estonia need student sports?” Among the speakers were President of the Estonian Olympic Committee Mr. Mart Siimann, FISU Marketing Manager Mr. Arto Ahola and top athlete Mr. Gerd Kanter, men’s discus throw silver medallist at the 2005 IAAF World Championships and 2005 Universiade gold medallist.
The first place in the medal’s table went to the University of Tartu that won 30 medals in total (11 gold, 8 silver, 13 bronze). The Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education was second with 29 medals (8 gold, 10 silver, 11 bronze) and the University of Latvia took the third place with 27 medals (8 gold, 9 silver, 10 bronze). Next year’s SELL Games will be held in Kaunas, Lithuania.
More Info
For more info on the SELL Games, results and photogallery surf to: www.sellstudentgames.com.
Urban Adventure
Brief History
The students of Tartu University founded their own sports club in 1908. Estonian Academic Sports club joined all Estonian student sportsmen in the young Republic of Estonia. In 1923 first regional student competitions were launched which later became known as the SELL Games (first letters of Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the respective languages). Between 1923 and 1940 the SELL Summer Games were held 13 times, the SELL Winter Games (since 1929) 5 times and the Chess Tournaments (since 1937) 3 times. The first competitions were arranged from September 14th to 16th, 1923 in Tartu, the last (winter games) on March 2nd and 3rd, 1940 in Otepää near Tartu. International ties between student athletes of the Baltic States were disrupted following the Soviet occupation in 1940.
In 1991 Estonia became an independent state again and shortly afterwards the Estonian Academic Sports Federation (EASF) was founded. In 1997 the EASF organized the meeting of the representatives of four states and it was agreed that the tradition of the SELL Games should be restored. 75 years had passed from the first games when in the spring of 1998 the next SELL Summer Games were held in Tartu with 800 athletes from 59 universities of 13 states participating. The Estonian student body restored its status of initiating and co-ordinating student competitions in the Baltic region. The following SELL Games were held in 1999 in Kaunas, Lithuania, in 2000 in Jelgava, Latvia, in 2002 in Tartu, Estonia, in 2003 in Kaunas, Lithuania, in 2004 in Tampere, Finland and in 2005 in Riga, Latvia. Today the games are open to universities all over the world.
