The Sainsbury’s 2012 School Games finished in style yesterday, with the Olympic Park hosting the final day of the four-day multi-sport event for elite young athletes.
On a historic day for the Games, the best school-age athletes from across Britain sought victory at the Olympic Stadium, the Aquatics Centre and the Velodrome, with several national records and personal bests smashed along the way.
To bring the four days to an end, thousands flocked to the Basketball Arena in the Olympic Park for the closing ceremony, where Youth Sport Trust Chief Executive Baroness Sue Campbell named Prince Harry as the new President of the event.
In a special message for the 1,600 athletes that took part in the Games, the Prince said: “Huge congratulations to everyone who has taken part in the inaugural School Games, but especially to those who have won.
“I believe that sport can give people confidence and skills which set you up for life. It is so important to get outside and to keep physically and mentally fit.
“I am very honoured to become the President of the School Games.”
It had been an action packed few days for the nation’s top young athletes, with the final day of competition at the Olympic Park providing a historical close.
Excitement at the Park was rife, with even Baroness Campbell tempted to take to the track. “I don’t think any other Olympic Games has ever enabled its school age youngsters to come on the track before the actual Olympics and Paralympics, so it’s a marvelous opportunity for them,” she told us.
“I mean, I nearly stripped off and ran down the 100m straight when I got here! It’s wonderful.”
The first three days of the Games saw competition take place in badminton, fencing, gymnastics, hockey, judo, road cycling, rugby sevens, table tennis, volleyball and wheelchair basketball at various London venues.
Attention then turned to the Olympic Park for athletics, track cycling and swimming, just weeks before the world’s most talented athletes arrive for the London 2012 Olympics.
The spotlight shone on the Olympic Stadium as the curtain came down on the 2012 event, with England South East’s Daryll Neita claiming gold in the girls’ 100m race, as she held her nerve in a race that saw two false starts.
Elsewhere on the track, London 2012 Paralympic hopeful Jade Jones won both the 100m and 200m wheelchair races and will be hoping for a repeat performance if she returns to the capital this summer.
After competing at Redbridge earlier in the week in the road cycling, yesterday saw the cycling move to the Velodrome for track action.
East Midlands duo Hannah Blount and Grace Garner adjusted to their new surroundings the best as they broke their own national under-16 record in the heats to win the team sprint.
West Midlands’ rider Lucy Shaw also had a day to remember at the Olympic venue securing the girls’ scratch title to grab her second gold medal in two days.
Over at the Aquatics Centre, Wales’ Siwan Thomas-Howells clinched two gold medals in both her races. The 15-year-old (pictured above) came up trumps in the 200m freestyle which was the opening race of the meet, followed by victory in the 100m freestyle.
She commented: “I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to compete here and get the chance to do my best and get the gold medals.
“This is a fantastic arena and the noise of the crowd really spurred me on.”
Jessica Whittington, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine