Los Angeles 2028 organizers celebrated 1,000 days before the Olympic Opening Ceremony with officials from Oklahoma City on Monday. They said that preparations were progressing to host softball and canoe-slalom competitions in the city.

LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman, CEO Reynold Hover and Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt appeared with Team OKC President Michael Byrnes following a weekend of youth workshops and venue visits at the OKC Softball Park as well as the OKC Whitewater Center. Organisers say that these venues will host the Olympic canoe slalom and softball competitions in the year 2028.

Wasserman stated that the LA28 Olympic Games would bring together communities and regions from the Pacific Coast in Los Angeles, to the Central Plains of Oklahoma City.

Hoover said Oklahoma City’s role highlighted a collaborative spirit, as organizers seek to use existing facilities outside of the host metropolis for competitions.

He said, "We are celebrating 1,000 days until the LA28 Games. This is a national celebration of sport."

Holt described Oklahoma City's involvement as a "once in a lifetime opportunity" which would "dramatically extend the Olympic experience." Holt noted that two sports and seven events were scheduled to be held in the city.

The announcements were paired up with an "LA28 Day of Sport", which took place on October 18, featuring clinics by Olympians and Paralympians. These included five-times Paralympic champ Jeremy Campbell; gymnastics legends Nadia Comaneci, and Bart Conner; 1988 U.S. Olympian Kelly GarrisonFunderburk, and U.S. Softball Silver Medalist Michelle Moultrie.

Los Angeles will host the Olympics a third consecutive time, after 1984 and 1932. It will also stage its first Paralympics.

The Paralympics will take place from August 15-27.

The organizers have stressed a plan that relies on existing venues in Southern California as well as select partner cities, to reduce costs and to avoid permanent construction.

Organisers said that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Holt last month to coordinate planning in the two cities.

The International Olympic Committee has approved baseball/softball, along with flag football, squash, cricket and lacrosse, for LA28. Canoe slalom will be part of the core program. Rory Carroll, Los Angeles (Reporting; Ken Ferris, editing)

(source: Reuters)