Clouds over the Newcastle coastline.(File image: Andrew Chen / Pexels)
Newy 87.8 FM – The Special Olympics Flame of Hope will travel through Newcastle today as part of the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) Final Leg, ahead of the 2026 Special Olympics Australia National Games.
The Newcastle leg begins at 4pm, with participants carrying the Flame of Hope from Nobbys Beach to Fletcher Park, where they will be welcomed by local police and members of the community.
The event forms part of a six-day journey through New South Wales and the ACT, with the flame travelling from Tweed Heads to Albury before continuing to Melbourne for the Games' Opening Ceremony.
Northern Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner David Waddell APM, said the event highlighted the strong partnership between police, the Law Enforcement Torch Run and Special Olympics Australia. "The Flame of Hope is a powerful symbol of courage, determination and belonging," he said.
Law Enforcement Torch Run New South Wales President Scott Whyte APM said the Final Leg only takes place once every four years, and invited the community to come out and meet the athletes.
A ceremonial cauldron lighting will take place at Fletcher Park after the torch runners arrive, with Assistant Commissioner Waddell and a Special Olympics athlete jointly lighting the cauldron.
The 2026 Special Olympics Australia National Games will be held in Melbourne from 19 to 23 October 2026, bringing together more than 850 athletes with intellectual disability and/or autism from across Australia.
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