The 17-day sporting extravaganza may have been put on hold until 2021 but sporting enthusiasts can still enjoy the buzz that surrounds the event thanks to our brilliant members and a few of the nation’s favourite sporting heroes.
Over the course of the next fortnight, we will be placing our most loved sports in the spotlight by taking a look back at some of Britain’s finest Olympic moments as well as highlighting the many ways you can get active throughout the summer and beyond.
Sports such as golf, judo, boxing and skateboarding will all feature to ensure you don’t miss out on your Olympic fix.
Also in our series, will be our very own version of ‘Super Saturday’ as England Athletics and UK Athletics help us reminisce on that golden day in 2012, featuring a special contribution from five-time European champion, Laura Muir.
The Olympics has a wonderful ability to inspire people who already do sport, to do it more often, to motivate disengaged athletes to take it up again and to encourage people to try their hand at sports they’ve never done before.
Elite sporting success is widely considered to bring a ‘feel good factor’ to the nation and, more importantly, an increase in grassroots participation.
More than 23 million people visited the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in the six years following London 2012, with over 4 million people making a splash at the London Aquatics Centre and 3.4 million hitting the track at the Lee Valley VeloPark.
The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games also inspired over 2,000 community projects nationwide and more than 25,000 schools and 6.5 million young people have benefited from the flexible teaching resources provided by the official London 2012 education programme ‘Get Set’.
In London, Greater London Authority and partner investment has helped build, refurbish or upgrade 100+ community sports facilities, and over 450,000 Londoners have had the chance to take part in local sporting and physical activity opportunities.
The amazing sports that we would have all been glued to the TV watching don’t just thrill audiences, but they inspire people to get off the sofa and get active.
Activity levels were at a record high before the coronavirus pandemic and people up and down the country have rediscovered their love for physical activity during this challenging time.
Remaining fit and healthy has rarely been in such sharp focus and with the sector slowly coming back to life, there has never been a better time to unleash your inner athlete.
Stay tuned to our website and social media channels from July 24 – August 9 as we prove the Olympic spirit is still alive and well this summer.
