11th August 2010

I Am An Athlete

 

11 August 2010

Some of Britain’s top athletes today joined forces with UKA to celebrate the launch of I Am An Athlete, a new campaign aimed at raising awareness about athletics and its place at the heart of all sport through innovative activities in the lead up to the 2012 Games in London.

The event, held at St Pancras International, featured a group of young athletes from local London clubs bringing the core elements of athletics – running, jumping and throwing – to life for commuters in the station. The young athletes were joined by European double gold medallist Mo Farah, Olympic Champion Christine Ohuruogu and European medallists Martyn Bernard and Chris Tomlinson.

The launch, the first in a series of events planned to be held across the country, was inspired by “flash mobs” and coordinated by UKA with the input of the young athletes participating. In the coming months, UKA plans to inspire athletes and potential athletes across the country with similar events and genuinely engage with a younger audience.

In addition to today’s ‘Flash Athletics’ event, the campaign will feature activities and materials aimed at sustaining the increased interest of the number one Olympic sport with new audiences following the unprecedented success of the Aviva GB Team at the recent European Championships. It will encourage them to find ways to get involved in athletic activity. Some of these initiatives will also be specifically targeted at mums and employees across the country, providing tailored recommendations about how to get involved.