There were no breath-taking fireworks, nor miming child singers, but excitement was almost at Olympic fever pitch at the University of Bath sports village yesterday.

National treasure and double Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington joined Bath Bullet Jason Gardener and Steve Grainger, chief executive of event organisers the Youth Sport Trust, to officially launch the third UK School Games, being hosted this weekend in Bath and Bristol.

Aspiring athletes got to rub shoulders with their heroes as competitors headed to the event's official Olympic-style opening ceremony, hosted at the Bath Recreation Ground.

More than 1,500 elite sportsmen and women from all over the UK joined an athletes' parade and watched in awe as Adlington officially opened the UK School Games.

The event will see them compete in nine sports – hockey, badminton, judo, volleyball, athletics, fencing, gymnastics, swimming and table tennis, with disability events in athletics, swimming and table tennis also included – across three days of competition.

Among the throng are several stars tipped for success at London 2012, the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014 and beyond, including fencing champion Sophie Williams, 17, from Winsley, near Bradford on Avon.

Winners will be awarded medals on podiums, stay in an athletes' village and enjoy all the trappings of the Olympic experience with opening and closing ceremonies.

Adlington, 19, who smashed the world record to become the first British woman since 1960 to win an Olympic swimming title, herself escaped qualifying for the event by just a year.

She told the Western Daily Press: "It is so fantastic to have been chosen as a figurehead for this event.

"If I had had an experience like this a bit sooner, I don't think I would have found the Beijing experience so overwhelming. What I would say to these athletes is just soak it up and enjoy it. Get used to the media and go and talk to people competing in other sports and share tips.

"This will be such a great legacy for the West. The facilities at Bath are great and hopefully this will raise the profile of sport in the region."

Adlington said her week since returning from Beijing had been "surreal but amazing" and she couldn't wait to go on holiday this weekend.

Swimming will feature prominently at the UK School Games, with two days of competition at Millfield School today and tomorrow.

Gardener, who won Olympic gold at Athens in the 4x100m relay, but retired from professional athletics last year, was made ambassador of the 2008 event. He said: "It means so much to have the games in the West, with events taking place across Bristol and the city where I was born and bred, Bath. The event is a unique opportunity for everyone to see how much young sporting talent we have across a range of sports, while the athletes will get the chance to experience a major multi-sport event.

"I've been working closely with schools across the region to share how the event can have a hugely positive impact – not just on those competing, but for all young people as they learn about sport and the many benefits it can bring."

Mr Grainger said it was wonderful to be sharing the country's excitement at Team GB's Olympic success with an event staged just 100 hours after it finished and just before the Paralympics starts. He said: "The School Games will play a huge role in helping to showcase our talented young athletes, and also in the transformation of competitive sporting opportunities for tens of thousands of young people at local, regional and national level."

New developments this year include the development of a school supporters programme, the work with Mencap to develop ways into the competition for athletes with learning disabilities and additional use of young volunteer officials during the event.