JCCM Jane Cowmeadow Communications and Management

Jason Gardener launches UK School Games 2010

Mar 16, 05:15 PM

The Sainsbury’s UK School Games 2010 will be held in North East England and to launch the event, Olympic gold medallist Jason Gardener was joined by a selection of past and present Sainsbury’s UK School Games competitors for a sprinting masterclass at Baltic Square in front of the iconic landmarks of Gateshead Millennium Bridge and BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art.

Gardener, who won gold as part of the triumphant 4 × 100m relay team at the
2004 Athens Olympics, owed much of his career to the foundations laid down by being a successful junior, which is just one of the reasons he is excited at being involved in the 2010 Sainsbury’s UK School Games.

“I am delighted to be here in North East England helping to launch the Sainsbury’s UK School Games. I have competed many times in this region and the level of facilities the region has to offer are first class.

“As a young athlete trying to forge a career in elite sport, I would have loved to have been able to mix with hundreds of other athletes, learn from them and compete on a national stage against the best in my age group.

“These are exactly the opportunities the Sainsbury’s UK School Games in North East England are going to present each competitor, which will stand them in tremendous stead as they look to grow in their sport.”

Over 1,600 elite school aged athletes will descend upon North East England from the 2 – 5 September 2010. Cycling will join athletics, badminton, fencing, gymnastics, hockey, judo, swimming, table tennis and volleyball, with disability events in swimming, athletics and table tennis, including learning disability for swimming, table tennis and for the first time, athletics.