O’Rourke and Gillick launch Schools’ Mile Challenge Picture credit: David Maher / SPORTSFILE Irish Olympians, Derval O’Rourke and David Gillick, were on hand today to help launch the “Spar Schools’ Mile Challenge” which is being organised by Athletics Ireland with the Irish Schools Athletic Association. The launch took place in Deansrath Community College, Clondalkin where pupils and teachers ran the mile with Derval and David.
The event, which is being supported by SPAR, will see some 10,000 teenagers from 70 secondary schools throughout the country run, jog or walk a mile at their school between 13th – 24th October. The emphasis of the event will be on participation but will also hope to promote running and walking as an excellent form of exercise
Each school will organise the event during a school day. The time of every pupil taking part will be accurately timed and graded to show what category of runner each participant is. They will be rewarded with a coloured coded wrist band that correlates to the time they ran.
Athletics Ireland Chief Executive, Mary Coghlan, is proud to be in support of this scheme: “This is a fantastic initiative to help promote both the sport of athletics and also get people interested in their own health. Recreational running is a brilliant way to help keep fit and the Schools’ Mile Challenge will hopefully open up the sport to a broader audience.”
John Shields from the Irish Schools’ Athletics Association believes the “Spar Mile Challenge” can promote athletics at all level: “We are delighted to be involved in promoting the Spar Schools’ Mile Challenge. This is an excellent opportunity to encourage young people to take part in a healthy form of exercise. The emphasis is on taking part and enjoying the experience. I hope by this that we make a significant contribution to the health of the nation”.