Kids run their own Commonwealth Games

 

28 June 2002

 

Anticipation for Manchester's 2002 Commonwealth Games in26 days time is all too much for the kids at Canon Williamson High School. Theyhave decided to run their own 'mini' Commonwealth Games supported by BUPA - theOfficial Health Partner of the 2002 Commonwealth Games. The kids will berepresenting five commonwealth countries - Jamaica, Australia, Canada, SouthAfrica, and New Zealand - in events including 100, 200, 400 and 800 metresprints and a relay.

 

MEN Arena it is not, however at 1pm on Friday 28 June 2002the Stretford Athletics Stadium will come alive with an opening ceremonyfeaturing GMTV celebrity motivator Pete Cohen. He will be pep talking thestudents, aged between 11-16, to encourage them to perform to their bestability.

 

Matt Bold, PE teacher at Canon Williamson said:"Everyone is very excited. The Commonwealth Games is a wonderfulopportunity to bring the kids together and participate in an event that isrelevant locally but also has great international significance. Everyone hasbeen training for our Games and there is a healthy competitive attitude amongstthe 'countries' participating."

 

BUPA, which has worked on a number of initiatives withCanon Williamson over the last two years, is providing all the buntingincluding flags, country branded t-shirts and prizes in place of medals for theawards ceremony.

 

Monica Owen, BUPA's community affairs manager said:"As the Official Health Partner for the real Commonwealth Games nextmonth, we wanted to provide an opportunity for schools in our local communityto become involved in the whole event.

 

"BUPA is engaged in many different community projectsin and around Salford and this is just part of our ongoing commitment tosupporting the communities in which we work."