Team GB and ParalympicsGB have launched a virtual challenge designed to inspire primary school children and their families to get active together in the lead up to Paris 2024.
The Path To Paris challenge invites young people across the nation to log their physical activity online, converting minutes to kilometres to help power their team to reach Paris in time for the Games.
Starting from Athens, the birthplace of the modern Olympic Games, children will virtually travel around the world, learning about Team GB and ParalympicsGB athletes and sports as they go. As well as finding new ways to become active, develop healthier lifestyles and enjoy spending time with their families or local community groups, there will be opportunities for teams to win prizes along the way.
Path To Paris forms part of Team GB and ParalympicsGB’s Get Set programme. Originally created as the official education programme for London 2012, Get Set now offers a broad range of free, cross-curricular resources and activities for schools and community groups across the nation.
To mark six months to go until the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, Team GB and ParalympicsGB hosted a Path To Paris showcase at Graystone Action Sport, a community sports facility in Manchester. Pupils from local schools were treated to a special demonstration from GB skateboarders Joe Hinson and Charlie Bach before getting the chance to take part in Path to Paris activities alongside programme ambassadors Javier Bello (Team GB volleyball), Ashley Facey (ParalympicsGB table tennis) and Beth Munro (ParalympicsGB taekwondo).
Also among the Team GB ambassadors for the challenge are Tokyo 2020 BMX racing silver medallist Kye Whyte, double Olympic hockey player David Ames, and Olympic rugby sevens player Abi Burton.
Andy Anson, Chief Executive at Team GB, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the Get Set programme: for over a decade now it has been helping young people to develop important life skills and maintain healthy, active lifestyles. With Paris 2024 just around the corner, we have a really important role to play in using the power of the Olympic Games to improve the health and wellbeing of the nation, and our aim for Path To Paris is that as many young people as possible are inspired to get moving thanks to the stories of our extraordinary athletes.”
David Clarke, Chief Executive at ParalympicsGB, said: “Path To Paris is a great opportunity to reach and engage more young people and their families in physical activity by building the excitement around this year’s Paralympic Games. We know that participation levels among young disabled people are disproportionately low compared to non-disabled people and Path To Paris will provide teachers and parents with lots of inclusive and accessible resources and activities to encourage more young people to get active. Hopefully this initiative will be the catalyst for many future Paralympic careers.”