Olympic golden girl Mary Peters has visited Derry to cast an expert eye over the next generation of potential sporting superstars.
Peters, who won a gold medal in the pentathlon in the 1972 Games in Munich, is patron of the Commonwealth Games Council, and was guest of honour at a sporting festival laid on by the organisation with the help of local sports volunteers.
The aim of the event, held at Templemore Sports Complex, was to introduce primary seven pupils to a variety of Commonwealth sports in the hope that the participants discover a special talent that could put some of them on the road to compete at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Belfast in 2021.
Youngsters from Holy Child, Model and Gaelscoil Éadain Mhóir primary schools got to try out a total of eight sports, including boxing, basketball, cycling and badminton at the Templemore Sports Complex.
Peters (76) said: “This is a great chance for kids to try out new sports, and perhaps discover something they are really good at.
“We saw some real talent here at the Complex, and for all we know we could be looking at a future world class athlete right here today.
“We can’t say ‘we’ll never get another Olympic gold medallist’. Somebody might be. I was, and that’s because I was lucky enough to have met the right people who gave me the opportunity to develop my skills.”
She added, regardless of whether or not the recruitment drive produces any world beaters, it was a great opportunity to get young people engaging with and enjoying sport.
“Aren’t they better doing this,” she said. “than spending all their time indoors sitting at computers and playing games all day long?
“Sport is a great tool in the fight against childhood obesity, and you only had to look out at the track there to see there’s not one overweight child.”
Photo shows Mary Peters enjoying a sparring session with Kyla during her visit to the Sports Complex.
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