MAJOR EVENT LEGACIES
GENERATION GAMES
London 2012’s motto was to inspire a generation: has it done that? Kath Hudson looks at some projects aimed at young children, which have blossomed in the post-Olympic glow
T 60
he pool hall was quiet, but the tension was palpable. Solemn- faced, the competitors of the mini triathlon – including my daughter Meribel – lined up by
the side of the water waiting to be called to the start. Opposite stood a bank of anxious parents. Then the silence broke, as the children dived into the water in quick succession and parents cheered and shouted encouragement as they swam their two lengths of the pool. At the end of the 800m bike ride and a 600m run, every child crossed the finishing line with a huge smile, and then went on to collect their medal and t-shirt for taking part. At the age of eight, they could bask in the knowledge that they had completed a triathlon.
EARLY STARTS Experts agree it’s crucial to engage young children in active lifestyles. Pressure on the curriculum and the sale of school playing fields, however, have led to universal sport in schools dwindling. The obesity statistics are evidence of the fact that children aren’t running around,
For example, mountain bike race
organisers Fully Sussed and Go Ride now both run kids' cycling races alongside some of the adult races. There's even an emerging pathway into modern pentathlon as more biathlon events are being run through schools. Starting off as swimming and running events, these evolve to add in other elements of the pentathlon. The Mini Triathlon Series, run by
Meribel, the author's daughter, competing in the mini triathlon
riding bikes and playing football in their spare time to the extent they were in previous generations. Fortunately, in the wake of the London 2012 Olympics, which provided a great shop window for sport, many sports providers are doing an excellent job of opening up opportunities for children to engage in interesting sport challenges from a young age.
Cornwall-based Trust, Tempus Leisure, has been created following an upsurge in interest in adult triathlons, undoubtedly due partly to the Brownlee brothers gold and bronze Olympic medals. “The Mini Triathlon Series was viewed as an essential addition to support the charitable objective of the trust while encouraging participation in healthy active lifestyles in the younger age category,” says Geoffrey Samuels, senior community leisure officer at Tempus Leisure. “It was also felt that providing competitive opportunities for eight to 14-year-olds would support the growth of the adult series, by developing the skills of younger competitors and acting as a feeder to the adult series. A 15 to 16 age category
sportsmanagement.co.uk issue 3 2014 © Cybertrek 2014
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