[O]livia Mason from Workington has been selected to be part of the Athletics squad at the 2018 School Games – a national multi-sport event for the UK’s most talented school-age athletes taking place at Loughborough University from 30 August to 2 September.
16-year-old Mason, who is a student at Keswick School and is a member of Border Harriers, will compete for the England North squad in the 1500m. She already has an impressive record of success, and was the youngest person to compete in the running at last year’s Commonwealth Youth Games, which was held in the Bahamas.
Over 1,400 athletes will compete across 11 sports at the School Games, five of which include disability disciplines. This year the School Games has introduced four new sports (Canoeing & Rowing, Laser Run, Netball and Triathlon). The event will give many young people, across a variety of different sports, an experience of high-level competition in a multi-sport environment similar to an Olympic or Paralympic Games.
Olivia will be following in the footsteps of some of Britain’s biggest sporting stars who have competed at the event before going on to senior international success. Previous competitors include Paralympic champions Hannah Cockroft, Ellie Simmonds and Jonnie Peacock, Olympic champion Adam Peaty, heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson and sprinter Adam Gemili.
At the event Mason will experience the excitement of competing at the highest level. She will live in a dedicated Athletes’ Village on the Loughborough University campus, take part in an School Games ceremony and perform in front of huge crowds of spectators.
“The School Games National Finals provide a great opportunity for talented young athletes like Olivia,” says Ali Oliver, Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Sport Trust. “Competitors get a real taste of what it’s like to be part of a world-class sporting event at the amazing sporting venues of Loughborough University, and the event is a great way to see our future sporting champions in action today.”
The 2018 School Games is supported by National Lottery funding from Sport England and Home Country Sports Councils and is delivered by the Youth Sport Trust.
Tickets for the event are available now, at https://www.schoolgamesfinals.org/buy-tickets/
