Christine has backed the initiative.Picture by Mike Egerton/PA Wire

Stratford’s own Christine Ohuruogu backs legacy sports programme

Pat Coughtrey , News Editor Tuesday, August 14, 2012
4:30 PM

Bathe in the afterglow of London’s Olympics by having a go at sport

After the London 2012 Olympics comes the sporting legacy. And a nationwide grassroots campaign to capture the once in a lifetime opportunity of hosting the Games in the UK will see 5,000 events happen across the UK this weekend.

In the immediate afterglow of the extravaganza, a dozen sporting events are taking place at community venues across Newham, ranging from martial arts and fitness to two wheel power and football.

For full details of the ‘Join In Local Sport’, an independent charity funded by government, can be found at the dedicated website www.joininuk.org – and enter you post code.

And backing came from Stratford’s own Christine Ohuruogu, MBE, 400 metres gold medallist at the Beijing Games and silver medallist at the London 2012 Olympics, who said: “Let’s all take advantage of the spirit of London 2012 by joining in this weekend and going back to where it all begins at your local sports clubs.”

David Moorcroft, former 5,000 m world record holder and Director of Sport at Join in, said:

“No host country has ever done what we are trying to do with the ‘Join In’ weekend and that is to capture this magic moment for all time. The ‘Join in’ weekend is a great opportunity to harness the enthusiasm generated by the Games, for sport and for volunteering, and channel it through local sports clubs - which is where every great champion starts out.”