Jonnie Peacock celebrates at Sainsbury's Leicester store with local netball champions as part of Sainsbury’s School Games
Jonnie Peacock, Paralympic World Champion, has been showing shoppers at a Sainsbury’s store in Leicester that he’s a multi-talented sports star as he picked up some netball skills from a local team.
The world champion sprinter met with netball players from Catmose College for an impromptu training session at the Melton Road store after the team triumphed in the regional heats of the Sainsbury’s School Games.
After sharing their netball skills with Jonnie, the team was treated to a Q&A session where he showed them his medals and inspired the team with his stories of sporting success., and he was interviewed by the school’s media team. Jonnie was visiting the Sainsbury’s store as part of the “Show your Support” campaign ahead of the Sainsbury’s School Games, an event for young athletes, which takes place in Manchester between 4-7 September.
Jonnie Peacock, Ambassador for Sainsbury’s School Games, said: “I started my career competing in the School Games, so it was fantastic to meet some of this year’s rising stars from Catmose College. I’ve never played netball in my life and I’m not sure I’ll be taking it up any time soon, but it was fascinating and fun to get an insight into a new sport. I wish athletes taking part in the Sainsbury’s 2014 School Games event in Manchester the best of luck, and my main advice would be to enjoy it and always strive for your absolute best performance.”
Darren Barlow, Store Manager, said: “There has been a real buzz around the store today as it’s not everyday a Paralympic champion pops into the store. He was a real inspiration to the visiting netball team, but also to customers and colleagues, and I’m sure his support for athletes in the Sainsbury’s School Games will help motivate athletes to go that extra mile on competition day.”
The Sainsbury’s 2014 School Games, which is backed by National Lottery funding through Sport England and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust, are set across four levels with a major national event at the end of the summer. Across the year, young people also compete in a range of sport at class-v-class, school-v-school and in county wide sport festivals. It is fully inclusive and provides fantastic opportunities for young people to take part in competitive sport throughout the year.
This year, the Sainsbury’s School Games programme culminates in Manchester on the 4 - 7 September with 1,600 elite young athletes from across the country competing. More than 10,000 spectators are expected in Manchester to watch competitions in athletics, badminton, cycling, fencing, gymnastics, hockey, judo, rugby 7’s, swimming, table tennis, volleyball and wheelchair basketball. Of the 1,600 competing athletes, over 200 will be competing in disability events.
The Games are supported by a range of partners including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Sport England, Youth Sport Trust, Department of Health and British Paralympic Association.
To show support for athletes in this year’s Sainsbury’s 2014 School Games event in Manchester tweet your message using #2014SSG or leave a message on the campaign website: www.2014schoolgames.com/support