Badminton: Special Olympics trio heading to national games

Team hoping it'll be 'fantastic opportunity' for those involved

Special Olympics Isle of Man returns to national competition this weekend with the badminton squad in action this time around.

The Manx team is sending three athletes - Ethan Butler, Lawrence Dyer and David Hudson (jnr.) - to the National Disability Badminton Games at University of Derby Sports Centre this Saturday and Sunday (26-27 October).

Hosted by Derbyshire All Stars, Special Olympics IoM Says the competition will be 'a fantastic opportunity for our athletes to pit themselves against some of the UK's very best.'

Day one (26 October) will see the men's and women's singles tournaments take place with a morning session from 10am until 12.30pm followed by an afternoon session between 1.30pm and 5.30pm.

The second and final day will be the turn of the men's & women's doubles events with morning and afternoon slots once again at 9am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 4pm respectively before the awards ceremony at 4.30pm.

It'll be the second time this month Special Olympics IoM has been in off-Island competition after the football squad contested the Special Champions League in Belgium.