Where and when can you watch the Special Olympics? (Mechelen)

The locations:

Stadium KV Mechelen: opening ceremony on May 17.

De Nekker: From Thursday to Saturday, sports domain De Nekker is the beating heart of the Special Olympics. The sports that take place here are football, athletics, sailing, swimming, badminton, floorball and kayak.

Nekkerhal: Judo, basketball and bocce.

Royal Mechelen Tennis and Hockey Club at the Zemstseweg in Hombeek: Hockey and tennis.

Quarter Major Housiau (Barracks Peutie), Martelarenstraat in Vilvoorde: Cycling and triathlon (cycling).

Gymnopolis (near Nekkerhal), Plattebeekstraat 1 in Mechelen: Gymnastics.

Manege Verbrande Brug, Grimbergsesteenweg in Zemst: Horse riding.

Swimming pool Geerdegemvaart, Leliestraat in Mechelen: Triathlon (swimming).

Burney’s, Kruisbaan in Mechelen: Bowling.

Sporthal de Plaon, Eksterstraat in Mechelen: Netball.

Sports hall Iham, Bautersemstraat in Mechelen: Table tennis.

Provincial Groendomein Vrijbroekpark, Ridder Dessainlaan in Mechelen: Triathlon (running).

Plan:

The Special Olympics will start on Wednesday 17 May at 2.30 pm with a torch run, departing from the Grote Markt in Mechelen to the Olympic village in De Nekker. The official opening ceremony starts at 7 pm, during which the various athletes are celebrated with performances by all kinds of artists. A (free) entrance ticket is required.

The preliminary rounds will take place on Thursday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., which the athletes will classify on the basis of their sport level.

On Friday and Saturday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., the athletes compete against each other in different competitions with different medal moments.

On Saturday 20 May, the Special Olympics will conclude with a closing ceremony in the Olympic village in the provincial domain De Nekker at 4 pm.

A complete overview of the different competitions at all locations can be found via this link: https://special-olympics.be/nl/ons-werk/nationale-spelen/

Accessibility of the center of Mechelen

With the 1000 km Kom op tegen Kanker and the Spring Fair, it will be a busy weekend in Mechelen. A lot of mobility measures have to steer accessibility in the right direction. Everyone is advised to come as much as possible on foot, by bicycle or by public transport. That way you will experience the least inconvenience. For cyclists, the city will provide extra guarded bicycle parking on the playground of the Pitzemburg campus. This is free and open on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 May from 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

Motorists can use the peripheral car parks. From there you can take the free shopping shuttle to the center, for example. The usual route Nekkerhal-Grote Markt will not be in force because the participants of the 1000 km for Kom op tegen Kanker cycle in that zone. That is why an alternative is provided on Friday 19 May and Saturday 20 May from the Mechelen-Noord industrial estate at Schaliënhoevedreef 20. A Shopping Shuttle takes visitors to Sint-Romboutstoren and then back. On Saturdays, the shuttle also runs from the Mechelen-Zuid industrial estate and the boat shuttle sails from the Keerdok car park.

The weekly Saturday market continues, but is exceptionally spread over the IJzerenleen, D. Boucherystraat, Hallestraat, Botermarkt, Befferstraat, Veemarkt and Keizerstraat.

All information can be found at www.mechelen.be/hemelvaartweekend