SELL Student Games is a multi-sport event that is open for all university and college students all over the world. The name of the games are according to the first letters of the hosting countries, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in their respective languages (Finnish: Suomi, Estonian: Eesti, Latvian: Latvija, Lithuanian: Lietuva) The principles of the games are that everyone can participate and therefore the event combines top sports and joyful student event. Nowadays the games gather together around 1800–2000 students.
Contents
Events
The main disciplines of the games are athletics, swimming, orienteering, judo and chess as individual events. Basketball, volleyball (mini) football and floorball / unihockey are as team events. Also tennis, badminton, table tennis, wrestling, ultimate, aesthetic group gymnastics and ice-hockey has appeared in the games.
History
In 1923 student organizations of Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania established an extensive co-operation agreement, which resulted in first regional student competition for the university students of the respective countries in Tartu, Estonia. The competitions lasted until 1940 when the last winter games were held before the ties between Baltic States were severed by World War II. During this period there were organized separately summer games, winter games and chess tournaments. After Baltic States became independent again the tradition of competition was restored in a meeting held 21.4. 1997, and the SELL Games were organized in 1998 in Tartu. The competition has been open to all university students around the world since then.
Records
Athletics has been one of the sports held at the Games since the inaugural edition.