Gardener helps close another successful Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week

By Tom Reynolds, Sportsbeat

WHAT better way for the curtain to come down on the 2011 edition of Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week than an appearance by an Olympic champion and a glimpse of the London 2012 Torch.

BROTHERS IN ARMS: Jason Gardener was the star attraction as Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week came to a close in Cardiff

Athens sprint relay gold medallist, Jason Gardener, joined 400 Welsh youngsters at Llanishen High School in Cardiff, with the gathered masses all trying to achieve a personal best in an Olympic or Paralympic sport - including athletics, boccia, fencing, football and rowing.  

As Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week moved onto Cardiff, it wasn't just Gardener the schoolchildren interacted with, as Olympic mascot Wenlock, also made an appearance with the prototype of the recently launched London 2012 Olympic Torch.

In total 539 schools in Wales took part in the week, each hosting opening and closing ceremonies, torch relays, inter and intra school competitions and inviting local clubs to come in and give taster sessions in a variety of Olympic and Paralympic sports. 

And Gardener, a Youth Sport Trust ambassador, said: "To see so many young people motivated by the Olympic Torch to try and achieve a personal best in an Olympic or Paralympic sport was really inspiring.

"I hope that many of them go on to excel in their chosen sport as they continue to develop. I tried various different sports at school before I found sprinting and I hope that, through events like these, Wales' future sporting stars are discovered."

Robert Smyth, Head Teacher at Llanishen High School, added: "With London 2012 just around the corner, the promise of an Olympic and Paralympic Games on home soil is playing a major part in enriching the lives of school children across Wales."

More than four million young people from schools across Britain signed-up to take part in National School Sport Week 2011, but it wasn't just Cardiff that took centre stage on Friday.

Winter Olympic gold medallist Amy Williams met up with over 450 schoolchildren to celebrate Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week in Bath.

The event, which began on Monday with swimming at the Keynsham Leisure Centre and continued throughout the week with personal best challenges and Olympic lessons in the classroom, culminated in a closing ceremony on Friday.

The Olympic spirit was also alive and well in Exeter with over a 1,000 schoolchildren taking part in an Olympic and Paralympic Sports day at St Luke's Science and Sports College.

Activities ranged from athletics and basketball to ultimate Frisbee and tag rugby with both an opening and closing ceremony also scheduled.

And finally more than 50 kids will embrace the Olympic spirit in Bournemouth by descending on Moordown St John's Primary School to get involved with the Linwood Swim Run.

Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week uses the power of London 2012 to inspire children to try Olympic and Paralympic sports.  Your local school could carry the Olympic Flame in the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay or win tickets to London 2012 at: www.lloydstsb.com/nationalschoolsportweek