Spelbound, who received £100,000 ($159,000/€121,000) and performed at the 2010 Royal Variety Performance following their victory on Simon Cowell's popular television talent show competition, will be joined at the Closing Ceremony by chart topping group Cover Drive.

Cover Drive, the young quartet from Barbados, had a number one single in January 2012 with Twilight and are releasing their debut album on the May 7 this year.

The announcement provides a huge boost the 2012 Sainsbury's School Games finals, which will see 1,600 school-aged elite athletes compete at key Olympic Park venues including the Olympic Stadium, the Velodrome and Aquatics Centre.

"Spelbound are delighted to be involved in the Sainsbury's 2012 School Games and wish all the competitors the best of luck," said Spelbound coach Neil Griffiths.

"We can imagine what it must be like for them as a third of Spelbound are still at school.

"Having gymnastics backgrounds ourselves we know how much time, effort and dedication goes in to a top performance at a big event."


The School Games finals will be held from May 6 until 9 and following the Opening ceremony on May 6, the competition on May 7 and 8 will take place across a number of different venues in London before the action moves to the Olympic Park on May 9.

Badminton, fencing, gymnastics, judo, table tennis, volleyball and wheelchair basketball will take place at the ExCeL Centre whilst rugby 7's will held at Barking Rugby Club and hockey will take place at Old Loughtonians.

Six sports at the Sainsbury's 2012 School Games have disability competition.

Meanwhile, the Closing Ceremony on May 9 will take place at the Basketball Arena at the Olympic Park and will mark the end of the 2012 Sainsbury's School Games.

It will be attended by athletes that have competed in the Sainsbury's 2012 School Games, their family and friends, as well as school groups.

Tickets will not be going on general release.


"We are beyond excited to be performing at the closing ceremony of the Sainsbury's 2012 School Games," said Amanda Reifer (pictured second from left), the lead singer and lone female from Cover Drive.

"We really can't wait to bring a bit of Bajan style to the Games."

The Sainsbury's 2012 School Games finals event in May is part of the wider year round School Games initiative.

Schools across the country have signed up to take part in local class versus class and school versus school competitions along with county wide sports festivals.

It is supported by a range of partners including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Sport England, Youth Sport Trust, Department of Health, Paralympics GB, Sport Wales, Sport Scotland and Sport Northern Ireland.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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