Linford Christie and Darren Campbell have 44 major championship medals between them, but they weren’t the fastest kids in the school playground.
“Nuff” Respect has teamed up with Manchester City Council and their sponsor Reebok, to start the search for the fastest kids on the streets. Street Sprints will start on 4th July in Moss Side where kids who turn up will race 100m in their age group and encouraged to just turn up and race in whatever they are wearing.
The search will go to 10 areas around Manchester (Appendix 1) and cover 4 age groups, (U20’s, U17’s, U15’s and U13’s).
Speaking at today’s launch of Street Sprints, local hero Darren Campbell said, “As a kid that nearly chose Football over Athletics, I know that there are really talented kids out there that the Sport is missing out on. We want to find them and give them the one chance that could change their lives.”
The winners of each of the age group races will be entered into the Street Sprints Grand Final to take place in Manchester City’s Albert Square on Tuesday, 16th August. Each age group winner will be given a 12 month kit sponsorship deal with Reebok, a year’s worth of free training on the City of Manchester Athletics Programme and regular support and advice from Linford and Darren.
Former Olympic 100m Champion Linford Christie, who together with Darren, approached Manchester City Council twelve months ago, said “The Athletics clubs in this Country are doing a good job with those kids who have been given the encouragement to join. But we want to take Sprinting to the streets to find the raw talent and future Olympic Champions and our search starts in Manchester”.
Nuff Respect for the IAAF