Olympic legend visits Box Hill

Created On: 25 May 2011

Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) and double Olympic Gold Medallist, Seb Coe visited Surrey's Box Hill on Friday 20 May to celebrate the part it will be playing in the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Following the recent announcement that Box Hill will form part of the Men's and Women's Cycling Road Race course in 2012, including nine laps of Box Hill in the men's race and two laps in the women's race, the day saw Seb Coe present Host County flags to each of the seven councils in Surrey that are hosting the London 2012 Cycle races, in recognition for all that they are contributing to the London 2012 Games.

He had the opportunity to meet young riders from a local British Cycling Go-Ride club who could be Olympians of the future and talked to members of the Charlotteville Cycling Club about their views on the London 2012 Games making use of their local training route.

Seb also got the chance to learn more about the Surrey Sporting Life Inspire Mark project, which is celebrating Surrey's connection with the history of sport. This included a display of a collection of vintage bikes and cycling costumes from decades past.

Whilst at Box Hill, Seb was shown a large collection of flags that have been made by school children in Surrey as part of the International Flag Exchange Education Inspire Mark project. The project has seen children from schools across the county designing and making flags inspired by their local areas and by their lessons on the Olympic and Paralympic Values.

Seb commented: "It was a privilege to visit Surrey today to celebrate the success of its 2012 initiatives so far, and to see the work in action. We want as many young people as possible to be involved with London 2012 and getting into sport. Having all these projects in place shows that the South East is really maximising the opportunities which are arising from the Games."

Finally, Seb met local man, Austin Playfoot, a Torchbearer in the 1948 Olympic Torch Relay to discuss their own experiences of being involved in a Torch Relay in front of a small group of children from local school, Box Hill Independent. Seb also talked to the children about how they can be part of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, just days after the LOCOG announcement about the first stage of the London 2012 Olympic Torch route through the UK.

The visit has been organised by LOCOG and the South East Partnership for London 2012 in conjunction with Surrey County Council and Sussex County Council.

Pam Alexander, Chair of the South East Partnership, Nations and Regions Group Member for the South East and Chief Executive of SEEDA added: "The South East of England will host six events in 2012 - Time Trial and Road Cycling in Surrey, the Canoe Sprint and Flat Water Rowing Events at Eton Dorney, as well as the Paralympic Rowing event and today we have heard the great news that it will also host the Paralympic Road Cycling at Brands Hatch in Kent. Today's visit demonstrates the energy and excitement already being generated right across the South East to make the London 2012 Games a success for all and to deliver a strong legacy of inspiration and achievement".

Tags: news,ride

Information

Featured

Event Companies

Get updates to your inbox