May 1st, a beautiful sunny and warm spring day in Lisbon, Portugal, welcomed close to 1500 amateur athletes for their first day at the UN’s 46th Inter-Agency Games.
At Lisbon University Stadium, starting at 9 a.m., participants from 50 UN agencies and 125 nationalities got to play out their skills in multiple sports disciplines. Emotions ran high and friendly but serious competitiveness was observed in athletics, football and tennis. The more unusual cricket attracted attention, as did pétanque. Volleyball matches were some of the most disputed, with several games going into overtime. Badminton proved to be a popular sport amongst UN officials, with multiple games running simultaneously.
Nearby, at Lisbon Marriott Hotel, the more relaxed darts competition took place amid friendly banter and laughter. At Casal Vistoso Sports Complex, the table tennis competition required a total of 16 tables to run, given the large number of skilled participants involved.
Meanwhile, a bit further away, an intense chess joust was taking place at hotel TRYP Caparica. At Dolce Campo Real Lisboa, the weather was just perfect for golfers to go through the 18-hole course.
At the end of the day, with a smile on their faces and surrounded by new and old friends, the UN athletes got back to their hotels for a well-deserved bath and a change of clothes. Then it was time for a walk downtown Lisbon to enjoy the myriad of Portuguese and international gastronomy options available. The bravest of them all didn’t shy from entertaining themselves with the nightlife the city offers.
The tournament continues today, with two more sports making their début: Inatel Sports Complex hosts the swimming competition and the 10K road race takes place at Parque da Bela Vista.
At Move Sports, we take great pride in hosting this gigantic sporting event for UNESCO and presenting the almost 1500 participants from 125 nationalities with an amazing time in our beloved Lisbon!
