01_14_LYGProg_CORPORATE 22/6/09 2:26 pm Page 1

EVENT
PROGRAMME
2009
01_14_LYGProg_CORPORATE 22/6/09 2:26 pm Page 2
01_14_LYGProg_CORPORATE 22/6/09 2:26 pm Page 3

Welcome to the 09 Games

Anthony Kendall, Chairman of London Youth Games

This year is a milestone for the Games, ensuring they continue to be a great event and
an integral part of sport in London, and we hope this new style programme reflects the
positive changes we have made. We’ve passed 500,000 competitors since the Games
started in 1977; more than 31,000 young people will take part this year; the Regatta has
made a welcome return as a points scoring event and several former competitors,
including Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Rory Hamilton-Brown, Rosalee Mason, Tasha Danvers,
Siobhan Chamberlain and Arek Deng, have helped inspire the next generation of
athletes through personal appearances.

“I am a huge fan of the London Youth Games and the opportunities

they offer young Londoners to achieve their potential. I was
immensely impressed by what I saw when I visited the Games and
I’m confident that they can play an important role in fulfilling
London 2012’s legacy. Congratulations to everyone involved”
Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Olympics

3
01_14_LYGProg_CORPORATE 22/6/09 2:26 pm Page 4

A message from our 09 Patron:

“This is an event very

close to my heart.
I really enjoyed playing in
it as a kid and competing
against friends from
other boroughs.
It’s a real pleasure to be
Patron and I hope that
by giving something back
I can help inspire the
next generation of
British athletes”
Luol Deng, NBA Star and former
competitor
01_14_LYGProg_CORPORATE 22/6/09 2:26 pm Page 5

The year in pictures

lfour Beatty’s Mayor Johnso

ar C ipriani celebrating Ba n launching th
e 09 Games
Rugby st hip at 08 Gam
es the biggest ye –
title sponsors t

Breaking 500,000 competitors in Trafalgar Square

Olympian Andrew Ho
Jacqui Agyepong and Jeanette dge welcomes return
Kwakye celebrate Thames Water Regat of
our 99th Sports Development Gran ta
t
5
01_14_LYGProg_CORPORATE 22/6/09 2:27 pm Page 6

Creating a better London

Balfour Beatty is involved in many projects in London, including a range of engineering and construction work in the
run-up to the Olympic Games. As a company we are committed to helping raise the aspirations, motivation and attainment
levels of young people in the communities in which we operate. The London Youth Games is a great opportunity to help us
achieve that.

The Games demonstrate the power of sport to enhance and transform the lives of young people. We are proud to be
associated with them, and our sponsorship and support through to 2013 reflects our recognition of the benefits they
bring, in terms of social cohesion, personal wellbeing and opportunities to grow.

We wish all participants the best of luck in achieving their sporting goals.

www.balfourbeatty.com
01_14_LYGProg_CORPORATE 22/6/09 2:27 pm
One Year on…
A year after Balfour Beatty's historic sponsorship of
the Games, we caught up with London Youth Games
Chief Executive Russell Findlay to find out what
difference it has made.
LYG: How important is Balfour Beatty’s sponsorship?
RF: Balfour Beatty’s commitment to the Games is central to our
existence. This title sponsorship helps finance the running of the
UK’s largest annual multi-sport event.
In addition, they have developed two programmes:
The Sports Development Grants and the Sporting Pathways
Fund – both of which inspire more young Londoners to take up
competitive sport. Newham spent its Sports Development Grant
on its own Mini Games, an event that saw more than a 1,000
kids take part in a bid to make Newham’s Finals Team.
Ealing spent its grant ensuring girls in the borough have the
same opportunities to play sport as its boys.
Page 7
The Sporting Pathways Fund acknowledges the challenges facing
less well recognised sports. Its objective therefore is help the
development arm of sports organisations to raise participation.
Its first success can be seen during this Sunday’s Triathlon - an
event that has witnessed a remarkable 60% increase in
competitors over last twelve months.
LYG: The sponsorship runs until after the 2012 Olympics –
how significant is this?
RF: Balfour Beatty’s sponsorship means we can plan more than
one year ahead. We are in a enviable position in that a number
of our other partners, such as Thames Water, have also signed
up until after the 2012 Olympics. This allows us to work closely
with sporting National Governing Bodies to develop multi-year
programmes with the ultimate aim of increasing participation at
the Games.
LYG: How else does Balfour Beatty contribute towards the
running of the Games?
RF: Our biggest needs are money and people and this year
Balfour Beatty have launched a volunteering programme to
help us with the second. This encourages employees of their
various companies to volunteer at local schools and sports
clubs, which will in turn provide the 31,000 participants who
will compete at the 2009 Balfour Beatty London Youth Games.
7
01_14_LYGProg_CORPORATE 22/6/09 2:27 pm Page 8

Good luck to everyone taking part in this year’s London Youth Games

Drinking tap water regularly while we are at school

or work keeps us more alert and productive, as
well as benefiting our health and well being.

It is a high quality, cheap, sustainable and easily

accessible alternative to bottled water.

Why not keep a cold jug in the fridge to enjoy a

refreshing boost through the hot weather.

www.thameswater.co.uk
 01_14_LYGProg_CORPORATE 22/6/09 2:27 pm Page 9

mes

Regatta Returns
“The London Youth Games are an
T
hames Water’s sponsorship of the Regatta,
which runs from 2009-2013, secured its
permanent return after an absence of seven
essential part of developing a
years and the 2009 edition was a huge success. performance pathway and providing
Olympic Kayak Gold Medallist Tim Brabants visited opportunities for young sailors in
and his presence inspired the athletes. More than London. The Regatta enables them to
500 young competitors from a record 29 boroughs
took part in at least one of the four disciplines: experience a large competition and
sailing, rowing, kayaking slalom and kayak sprint. for some of them it is their first
competitive event. We’re delighted the
Team Richmond won two of the four titles – Rowing
and Kayak sprint – and narrowly pipped Greenwich
Regatta is back on the Capital’s sailing
to be crowned Regatta Champions of London. In the agenda and we’re looking forward to
other events, Hillingdon won the Sailing and Islington helping develop the event further”
took the Kayak Slalom title.
Guy Malpas, Royal Yachting Association Regional
Development Officer
9
01_14_LYGProg_CORPORATE 22/6/09 2:27 pm Page 10

CREATING OPPOR
Some recent competitors
he London Youth Games create opportunities for all n Cyclist Jo

T young Londoners to achieve their personal best. In

some sports this is the only opportunity of its type.
Former Sutto
Rowsell is the
23 Road Ch am
national unde
pi
part of the team
on and was
that won
r

‘08 and ‘09

For many competitors the Games represent their greatest k Go ld in
World Trac 20!
sporting memory – others find it such an inspiring event – and still on ly
that they want to get involved other areas of sport:
coaching, officiating or sports development.

For a small number, the Games are an essential

springboard to develop their sporting careers – providing
experience of competing on the big stage in a multi-
sport environment.

Ellen Gandy, 17, swam many times for

Bromley and points to the London Youth
Games as an important experience that
helped her become British Champion and
finish 15th at the Beijing Olympics.

10
 01_14_LYGProg_CORPORATE 22/6/09 2:27 pm
ORTUNITIES –
And one stillcompeting… Zoe Smith
O
ne amazing competitor still taking part at the
Games is Zoe Smith. The 15 year old, 5’2” athlete
has represented Greenwich since she was 10.
Her weightlifting career has had a meteoric rise and
recent accomplishments include: being nominated British
Olympic Association (BOA) Athlete of the Year for
Weightlifting; setting 109 British records (including senior
records) and being the first British lifter to win a medal at
the European Youth Championships.
LYG: Tell us how you switched from gymnastics
to weightlifting?
ZS: It all feels like ‘fate’ really. I had never thought about
weightlifting until the gymnastics coach at my new club -
Europa - told me that I was unlikely to be an Olympic
gymnast but that I “just might” at weightlifting!
The weightlifting club needed a girl to complete their
LYG team; I agreed to give it a try and the rest is history.
LYG: How did the Games help your development as
a weightlifter?
ZS: The Games didn’t just HELP my development, they
started my lifting career and without them, I wouldn’t have
achieved all that I have. I really enjoyed my first experience
of the Games as a gymnast and was delighted to get
another chance by switching sports. As a born and bred
Greenwich girl I wanted to do my borough proud so I worked
especially hard to win at the Games and even managed to
break personal and British records in the process.
Page 11
LYG: What does it mean to you to have been named
Weightlifting Athlete of the Year by the BOA?
ZS: When I found out I’d been named
Weightlifting Athlete of the Year, I was in
total shock – it was the last thing I had
expected! I saw my name alongside the
likes of Chris Hoy and Rebecca Adlington
and felt honoured to be considered
worthy of the same title.
LYG: What music is on your iPod?
ZS: I’ll let you in on a secret – I have a
song which I listen to before I compete!
It’s called “All The Small Things” by Blink
182 - listening to it before a competition
has become a ritual. Other bands on my
iPod include Placebo, No Doubt, The Cure
and The Libertines.
LYG: What are your hopes for
the future?
ZS: Obviously I’m really keen to compete
at London 2012. After experiencing the
atmosphere in Beijing as part of the BOA’s
Olympic Ambition 2012 squad and seeing
the home crowd really get behind their
athletes, I’d love to feel that in London.
Before then, I still have the opportunity to
compete at a couple more London
Youth Games.
11
01_14_LYGProg_CORPORATE 22/6/09 2:27 pm Page 12

Introducing GamesForce
GamesForce, our young volunteer programme, was officially launched in 2009.
The programme, managed by Helen Killingley, is match funded by vinspired and Ghino & Abi: earned rave reviews at the basketball
qualifiers at Score Centre:
will expand our current pool of volunteers aged 16-25, with the aim of ensuring
Ghino and Abi performed many roles including registering teams,
the Games are ‘for young people by young people’. marshalling star struck fans when NBA players Deron Williams and
Pops Mensah-Bonsu arrived and interviewing GB Basketballer
“It is great to see this opportunity for so many young Londoners to Rosalee Mason.
make a positive contribution to their community through sport.
London Youth Games young volunteers programme will give them
great experience in working on events and will help them further
their interest in sport on and off the field. I’m delighted to offer
my support”
Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Olympics

Meet some of our volunteers:

“The volunteers were

the backbone of the
competition”
Steve Alexander of
England Basketball

Melinda: Boccia at Westway Sports Centre:

Laura & Jenni: Young Volunteers Olympic Workshop:
Thanks to Tessa Jowell’s recognition of GamesForce, Laura (pictured)
and Jenni met the Olympics Minister and Kelly Holmes at a special
workshop, during which their feedback on volunteering at London
2012 and its legacy was sought.
12
Melinda is one of our team leaders and as an experienced
event volunteer, she supported her fellow volunteers and
answered any questions. Although she hadn’t heard of
Boccia, Melinda quickly assessed what was required and
she remarked that it was one of most rewarding events she
had worked at.
01_14_LYGProg_CORPORATE 22/6/09 2:27 pm Page 13
01_14_LYGProg_CORPORATE 22/6/09 2:27 pm Page 14