FOUR-TIME Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy made sure the inaugural National School Sport Week got off to a flying start in Edinburgh on Monday (7 June 2010).
Photograph SNS / Sportsbeat. From left to right) - Stewart Harris, Chief Executive sportscotland, Lisa Stephenson Head of Sponsorship Bank of Scotland, Sir Chris Hoy, Councillor Marilyne MacLaren, Chris Sutton Head of Asset Finance, Lloyds Banking Group
Sir Chris was the headline guest of an action-packed first day, which took the Olympian to two different schools - Nether Currie and East Craigs Primaries, as well as spending time with primary 4 children from across the city at a multi sport Olympic roadshow in Inverleith Park.
Bank of Scotland National School Sport Week is being run in partnership with sportscotland - the national agency for sport - and takes place from June 7-11, with over 600 schools involved nationwide.
sportscotland Chief Executive, Stewart Harris said; “sportscotland is supporting National School Sport Week through our Active Schools network to inspire more young people across Scotland to get involved in sport and enjoy a healthy lifestyle. The week will see events like this take place across the country. These activities will help to raise the profile of sport and physical activity in schools, and will build upon work that schools and the Active Schools network are already delivering across Scotland."
During Monday's events in Edinburgh, Sir Chris witnessed a Olympic inspired opening ceremony at Nether Currie Primary School and revealed it was his first experience of such an event: “I have always missed the ceremonies at the Olympics because I have been competing the next day so it was fantastic to take part in my first ceremony at Nether Currie Primary."
The children who took part in the multi-sport event at Inverleith Park are just some of the four million children who will be involved with the scheme across the UK. And Gael Logan, Active Schools Coordinator in Edinburgh said: “It’s been a fantastic day and we got over 300 children trying different things here at the roadshow - which was great.”
And who better to judge the success of the day and Sir Chris’ impact than nine-year-old St Mary’s Primary School pupil Eilidh Turner: “I didn’t know I was going to meet Chris Hoy and it was amazing,” said Eilidh. “I really enjoyed the day.”
Bank of Scotland National School Sport Week takes place from 7-11 June 2010. To find out more visit www.schoolsportweekscotland.org