Top Athletes To Join TeamParkRun

100 of UK Sport’s National Lottery funded Olympic and Paralympic athletes are teaming up with parkrun UK for #teamparkrun.

Following the conclusion of the London 2017 World Athletics Championships, the athletes will be right behind participants of #teamparkrun on Saturday 19th August, acting as tail walkers at parkruns across the country.

Olympic and Paralympic athletes including London 2017 gold medallist Adam Gemili, London 2012 Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford and Rio 2016 Paralympic swimming champion Ellie Robinson are amongst those who will be tail walkers at parkruns on Saturday.

Following on from sports participation event I Am Team GB, winner of Participation Event of the Year in association with Miller at this year’s BT Sport Industry Awards, that saw nearly one million people take part, there will be 100 athletes appearing as tail walkers for #teamparkrun across Great Britain.

5k parkrun events take place in parks across the UK every Saturday at 9am in England and Wales and 9.30am in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

UK Sport chair and five time Olympic medallist Dame Katherine Grainger said: “By playing The National Lottery, you have done an incredible job of supporting our Olympic and Paralympic athletes as well as grass roots sport in the UK.

“You’ve been right behind the athletes and now they want to get behind you to say thank you. Whether you’re thinking about taking your first steps towards a more active lifestyle or maybe you’re already a regular please come along to #teamparkrun on 19th August.

“It’s a fantastic experience as I found out myself recently when I took part in my local parkrun as a tail walker. There were so many people of all ages and fitness and they were all united by a great sense of enjoyment and personal goals. I have no doubt the athletes will enjoy it as much as everyone who comes along to get active and meet their local Olympians and Paralympians.”

London 2012 Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford said: “I’ve always been a strong advocate for getting people involved in fitness and health, and parkrun is a really nice way to start that.

“When I was a National Lottery funded athlete it was a hugely important part of my life at that point. It gave me the opportunity to train full time and get to a level that I needed to, to compete.

“It’s the same scenario for those that are funded now. It’s something that really genuinely helps.”