STREET 2 STADIUM CONTINUES TO GROW IN YEAR TWO

A well-attended second edition of the British Athletics Street 2 Stadium programme trial days took place earlier this month in Birmingham – for the first time – and in London, with over 300 athletes (those with a disability and those non-disabled) attending as the search for future Olympic and Paralympic stars continues.

The Street 2 Stadium programme seeks to engage with schools in these inner-city areas. Engaging with several schools in these regions, pupils between the ages of 12-18 were invited by British Athletics to take part in a trial day taking on a series of activities to try out and test their speed, agility and power.

There is an opportunity for those attending the trial day to have their fitness challenged by some of the best coaches in the country and find out all about athletics clubs and events going on all the time in your area. Athletes with a disability can find out all about the Paralympic system and how athletics is the leading para sport in the UK and the world.

At the inaugural event in Birmingham, hosted at the University of Birmingham track in Edgbaston, 13 schools sent a cohort of pupils to the final training day with 123 youngsters taking part in the activity, 30 who had a disability. From that cohort, 15-20 of those pupils will join the Street 2 Stadium academy for 2019/2020.

There were 40 plus volunteers from the University of Birmingham who contributed to the fun and interactive session, alongside British Athletics staff.

In London, taking place for the second successive year in Newham, 204 pupils attended the activity, 38 of whom had a disability, and similar to Birmingham, an academy will be formed. The programme has grown in the region from 2018 with more participants and more para athletes getting involved.

There were volunteers from University of East London and Newham & Essex Beagles AC, including Jordan Andrew who is on the British Athletics Futures Academy Programme.

Those selected for the academy will be provided with weekly training sessions in conjunction with a local athletics club during term-time run by top coaches as well as competition opportunities.

Coral Nourrice, Lead on the Street 2 Stadium programme at British Athletics, said:

“It was great that we were able to build on last year with an increase in mainstream and disabled participants this year. One of the highlights was running the event in Birmingham for the first time.

“Last year’s cohort are now embedded into a local athletics club and we are in the process of selecting this year academy members and I am looking forward to seeing what the year ahead hold for all involved.”