Sports Fest is the first festival of Paralympic sport to be held in this country and designed to build on the huge success of London 2012.

It provides an opportunity for disabled people to try out different sports and explore how they can get involved while all 22 Paralympic summer disciplines and the majority of winter disciplines were present.

The festival was also supported by more than 20 Paralympians, including London 2012 100 metres T44 champion Jonnie Peacock, and Hollingsworth believes the event could mark the start of something special for disability sport.

"Sports Fest is something that shows we are doing real good from London 2012 and maximising on the momentum created from the home Paralympics," Hollingsworth told insidethegames.

"Events like this are very important, not least for the performance of the ParalympicsGB team at the Games.

"Jonnie Peacock was found at an event like this some four years ago and look what happened to him.

"Mark Colbourne and Hannah Cockroft were also found through talent identification days and there is obviously the hope that in four years' time, there will be people here that will be on the start line at Rio 2016.

"But in actual fact, the main goal is just to get people to come and be inspired to get into disability sport at all levels.

"So we are thrilled that we have had an absolutely brilliant response from the public to the event."


Hollingsworth, who became BPA chief executive just over a year ago from his role as UK Sport chief operating officer, added that the post London 2012 Paralympic period presents a major challenge for his organisation, but that it is one they are embracing.

"I don't think that there was any question that post London 2012 was going to be the biggest challenge for a small organisation like the BPA but it is one we have been preparing for long before the start of the Games," he said.

"We are obviously fully focused on the business side with the BPA and creating strong revenue streams but we are also fully focused on the performance of ParalympicsGB and doing well at Sochi in 2014 and Rio in 2016.

"But I feel confident we have a great team in place that is ready to deal with these challenges."

Peacock also hailed the success of the event.

"It has been so great to be here today to see so many people potentially start their sporting futures", he said.

"I originally didn't want to try sport, I was worried I wouldn't be very good, but it's important to try things and that's what people are doing here today.

"I would always encourage people to do sport, it's changed my life.

"Attending a day like today will always change your life, whether you find a sport that you can be a Paralympian in or whether you find a sport that you want to do at a level that suits you.

"To see so many people here, it's clear that the festival has unquestionably been a fantastic success."

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