Olympic Day Run 2024
On Friday all of Sheldon participated in our annual Olympic Day Run. This is one of hundreds of events organised across the world to promote Olympic values and the mass participation of people in sport, regardless of their athletic abilities. With over 1000 young people participating, along with Sheldon faculty, we have it on good authority that this is one of the largest Olympic Day events!
This year, our charity partner for the 1.5km run was Wiltshire Air Ambulance. Thanks all of our Sheldon families for donating generously.
The afternoon began with a flag procession representing countries from every corner of the globe -- Norway, Ethiopia, Cuba, Brazil, Kenya, New Zealand, Mexico, Mongolia, Turkey, Greece and the Olympic Refugee team. Paralympian and British wheelchair tennis champion, Louise Hunt, spoke to the school about her journey to representing Team GB in the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. She spoke of being born with Spina Bifida and how she didn't let that limit her competitive drive and desire to participate in sport. She defied odds again and again, even self funding her way to the Olympics. Her message to the students was that the values and skills that sport can give you will change your life. She reminded everyone to "never let people tell you to give up n your dreams". She reminded students to continue to challenge themselves and keep learning, no matter what they are interested in and to "do what you love, what keeps you getting up in the morning."
After Louise Hunt's motivational speech, the students took the Olympic oath before heading to the starting line with their year groups. Every student from Year 7 through to Sixth Form took part in the Olympic Day run -- racing, walking and even skipping across the finish line.
Thank you to all of our PE staff for organising the day and to all of our staff that helped support the event. This was the official beginning of the Sheldon Olympiad which includes field events this week and our Sports Day next week.
Sheldon has had a great year for athletics. We regained our Area Champions titles, had over 20 athletes qualify through trials to represent North Wiltshire in the county athletics champs. Eight of them qualified to represent Wiltshire in the South West Champs and four will compete at the English Schools champs in Birmingham later this summer.
