AN OLYMPIC gold medallist who visited Stafford yesterday said the Olympic spirit was thriving amongst the town’s children.
Denise Lewis was the guest of honour at Stafford’s Sports College for a day that brought 30 schools from the region together participating in a variety of sports and activities alongside the former Heptathlete.
“Really for me it’s about the legacy of the games,” she said. “It’s about inspiring the next generation of budding athletes and encouraging them to do more sport and try a variety of sports.”
The event, which coincided with Stafford welcoming the Olympic Flame relay through the town centre, was set up to promote National School Sports Week in June, when around four million young people around the country will get the chance to compete in a host of Olympic sports.
“We’re not trying to find the next Olympian,” said Ms Lewis. “It’s really about encouraging a healthy lifestyle and helping people to feel connected to the Olympics.
“I think that the anticipation is bubbling and to have the Olympic torch relay come through is just priceless,” said Ms Lewis. “It’s just that moment in time when you can say you were up close and personal, you saw the torch, you can tell your kids, they can tell their grandkids and the legacy continues.”
