Tees Valley plan ahead for Olympic glory
Whether it be on the banks of the Barrage or by the boats moored at the Marina, the Tees Valley is gearing itself up for the greatest show on earth.
The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games are fast approaching and will not only transform the sporting landscape of London but also that of closer to home – and here in the Tees Valley preparations are well underway.
The Tees Barrage and Hartlepool Marina – as well as other venues across the Tees Valley – have already been selected as pre-Games training camps, giving us an opportunity to show the world why our region is so special.
However, the job of ensuring our region gains as much as possible from the 2012 Games is much bigger than just this and behind the scenes the hard work has started with the establishment of the Tees Valley Sport Partnership’s ‘Olympic and Paralympic Working Group’. The group, including representation from a wide range of local sporting bodies, local authorities, national governing bodies of sport, the University of Teesside and Sport England, is tasked with ensuring that a sustainable legacy is achieved for our region and that the 2012 Games will;
· offer everyone in the Tees Valley the opportunity to participate in the build up to 2012
· maximise learning opportunities through the Olympic and Paralympic Games
· maximise all opportunities to raise participation in sport
· promote all aspects of sport
Building on the outstanding success of Team GB in Beijing, the group are already getting to grips with many areas of their work, having developed an action plan that will enable the group to fully engage with local communities before, during and after the Games.
Much of the action plan is focused on community led activity with a strong element of fun and has incorporated many cultural as well as sporting activities. Proposals include a Youth Games sporting festival, family fun days for local communities and many cultural events with a sporting twist.
There is also a strong focus on elite talent identification and ensuring that local sports clubs are able to cater with the anticipated surge in interest as the Games get closer. A selection of local 2012 hopefuls will also be invited to represent their region as role models and help promote both the Tees Valley and their own ambitions for 2012 – who knows many of them may even return home heroes as so many have from Beijing.
One such athlete is Andrew Winspear (pictured below) - a 16 year old swimmer from Stockton who recently won gold medals at the 2008 UK School Games.
Andrew is also a member of the British Swimming 2012 Target Training Squad and is as keen as anyone for the Olympics to arrive;
“Having watched the fantastic sporting and cultural spectacle in Beijing on television, London 2012 is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Britain and the Tees Valley to enjoy the Olympic experience. It has really motivated me to push myself to the limit over the next four years to achieve my Olympic dream. The hard work really starts now!”
If you are involved in any sport or cultural events that may tie in with the Olympic plans, or simply have an idea for a fun or novel event, Tees Valley Sport would love to hear from you. To contact them call Vicky on 01642 342287 or email v.evans@tees.ac.uk.