Tanzania trip highlights Olympic International Inspiration benefits

By Lord Sebastian Coe, Chairman, London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG)

Tanzania trip highlights Olympic International Inspiration benefits
By Lord Sebastian Coe, Olympic Champion & Chairman, London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG)

This February was slightly different to my usual one. Instead of facing the cold snap in the UK, I was put through my paces by an eight-year-old child during a visit to an International Inspiration project.

I was in Tanzania as part of a global media tour we were undertaking to not only promote London 2012 in countries around the world, but also to see how countries are getting ready for the Games this summer.
I started off my visit by witnessing young children in action at Kibasila School in Dar es Salaam. They were participating in a circuit of activities which was given by Young Leaders, who are an integral part of our International Inspiration programme. International Inspiration aims to provide high quality sport and PE opportunities to children and young people around the world and here in Tanzania I definitely witnessed that.

But my visit didn’t end there. I was lucky enough to be taken to the National Stadium where I saw some aspiring athletes taking part in their training. I would love to help bring a world championship or even an Olympic and Paralympic Games to Africa.

Throughout my visit, I was accompanied by my long-term friend, and former 1500m rival, Filbert Bayi. Filbert has put so much back into Tanzanian sports since he won his medals that he’s a real inspiration to me and everyone else.

Delivering on our promise
Sport has played a huge part in my life and I was so proud to see that months out from the Games, we were already delivering on our promise to inspire millions of young people in 20 countries around the world to take part in sport.

It was very inspiring to see how seriously sport is taken in Tanzania and how the Government, NOC and teachers are all determined to work together to ensure that as many young people as possible get to take part in physical activity. And who knows, we might even find the new Filbert Bayi!

Editor’s Note:

This blog first appeared on the official London 2012 Olympics website and is reproduced here with permission.

To mark the London 2012 Olympics, we have teamed up with Kourage Athletics to bring you a series of exciting blogs about the power of sport to fight poverty. Please share your own stories!

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