Olympic medallist Jonny Brownlee and Paralympian Lauren Steadman welcomed young triathletes to Parliament for the 100th Tata Kids of Steel™ Triathlon yesterday. The first triathlon event ever to take place in the Houses of Parliament involved 30 children from five schools from around the UK who ’swam’, cycled and ran to achieve the collective target of completing an Olympic-distance triathlon in an hour and a half. Steadman and Brownlee provided much appreciated training tips and advice for the junior triathletes – as well as signing autographs.
The success of Team GB triathlon at the London 2012 Olympic Games was a massive boost for the sport, with the next generation now more involved and active in triathlon than ever before. Tata Steel has been working as a partner of British Triathlon since 2006. The Tata Kids of Steel series emerged out of the partnership as a grassroots initiative with the aims of introducing youngsters to the sport and inspiring them to take it up as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Coatham Primary School in Redcar, Teesside, Lingfield Primary School, Lingfield, Teesside, Groes Primary School in Swansea, Studfall Juniors in Corby and Baysgath School in Scunthorpe took part in the event, at which they also had a chance to meet their local MPs.
Zara Hyde Peters OBE, CEO of British Triathlon Federation and Trustee of the British Triathlon Foundation Trust, added: “We’re delighted to continue to work alongside Tata Steel in this partnership, which has been a big success in our seven-year relationship, benefiting both UK children and the development of our sport.
“The series has been the catalyst for the creation of our charitable arm, the British Triathlon Foundation, which was set up to help us inspire a generation.”
Sytske Seyffert, Director of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs at Tata Steel, said: “2013 has been the seventh year we have worked alongside the British Triathlon Federation to organise Tata Kids of Steel and we are delighted to be able to celebrate the series in Parliament with this 100th event. Nearly 60,000 children have experienced triathlon since the series launched in 2007. Our events enable children to have a fantastic day out while actively participating in sport. Many of our employees volunteer at the events, which help us to strengthen the long-term partnerships we have with our communities.”
Tata Kids of Steel is a children’s triathlon event organised by British Triathlon in partnership with Tata Steel, with the aims of encouraging children across the country to have a fun, positive experience of sport and of inspiring them to adopt a healthier lifestyle through sport and exercise.
This year’s Tata Kids of Steel series has seen more than 8,000 youngsters take up the challenge to each swim, cycle and run part of the distance between London and the next Olympic host city Rio de Janeiro – Tata steel’s way of inspiring a generation to take up sport and to help in securing the 2012 Olympic legacy.
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For further information
Bob Jones on +44 (0)207 717 4532 or bob.jones@tatasteel.com
About Tata Steel in Europe
The European operations of Tata Steel, whose main steelmaking sites are in the UK and the Netherlands, comprise Europe's second largest steel producer. They supply steel and related services to construction, automotive, packaging, rail, lifting & excavating, energy & power, aerospace and other demanding markets worldwide. The combined Tata Steel group is one of the world’s largest steel producers, with an aggregate crude steel capacity of more than 29 million tonnes and approximately 80,000 employees across four continents.
About the British Triathlon Federation
British Triathlon is the Governing Body for the sport in Great Britain. It is responsible for raising the profile and delivering elite performance for Triathlon, Paratriathlon, Duathlon and Aquathlon in Great Britain. Triathlon is a fast growing, dynamic and modern Olympic sport with talented world class athletes, coaches and support staff, focused around delivering world-class events and medal winning performances.