Team Personal Best in Full Swing and Growing with One Month to Go to The Summer of World Athletics

• Team Personal Best is part of the official inspiration programme of the Summer of World Athletics, created to develop grassroots athletics
• Festival of athletics continues with a host of Team Personal Best events held and more than 100 other events also signed up so far
• Do something special to get involved this summer, Team Personal Best is open to anyone and everyone
• Simply add an event or activity to www.TeamPersonalBest.org/submit by Friday 30 June and win a chance to receive a special visit from IAAF World Championship 800m bronze medallist Jenny Meadows 

With exactly one month to go to the start of the Summer of World Athletics, official inspiration programme Team Personal Best is in full swing and growing with more than 100 events signed up. Having already held a host of inspiring events, any athletics or running-themed activity can get involved between now and the end of September.

The World Para Athletics Championships (14-23 July) and IAAF World Championships London 2017 (4-13 August) will be the biggest sporting event in the world in the 2017. It is the first time ever that both Championships are being held in the same city in the same summer and the inspiration programme and Team Personal Best have been created to inspire anyone and everyone to get involved in grassroots athletics.

For the first time ever both the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships are being held in the same city in the same summer.

Events that have taken place already include disability festivals at the Copper Box at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to taster sessions at clubs around the country. There was even a running takeover from two-time British Olympian Mara Yamauchi as she joined local community groups in East London and shared advice and tips, whilst community fitness group GoodGym have signed up all their sessions to Team Personal Best from now until September.

Other events now listed at www.TeamPersonalBest.org/events include:

• A fundraiser at Weir Archer Academy including six-time Paralympic champion David Weir in Kingston on Wednesday 21 June
• The Manchester Mile fun run in memory of former winner David Coleman at SportsCity on Wednesday 21 June
• Volunteering at the Mencap National Athletics Championships in Watford on Saturday 24 June
• A roadshow at North Ayrshire Athletics Club on the Isle of Arran on Wednesday 9 August

With one month to go to the Summer of World Athletics, anyone who submits an event at www.TeamPersonalBest.org/submit between now and Friday 30 June will be in with a chance of winning a special visit from IAAF World Championship bronze medallist Jenny Meadows.

Jenny Meadows said:

Athletics has been a part of my life for over two decades and this summer is the chance to celebrate everything great about the sport. The Summer of World Athletics is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, not just for elite athletes but for everyone else. Whether you are a novice or an expert, Team Personal Best is a fantastic programme encouraging people from all walks of life to play a part no matter how big or small. I look forward to heading along to an event this summer.”

Mara Yamauchi said:

On a beautiful sunny summer’s evening, Team Personal Best delivered a terrific evening of training and swapping stories about being inspired. My athletics career started from being inspired by the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games. If a London 2017 Team Personal Best event can inspire a child, young person or adult to become to an athlete, coach or get involved in athletics in some form, that’s fantastic for the future of our sport.”

Cherry Alexander, Managing Director at London 2017, said:

From a record number of volunteer applications and ticket sales to an unprecedented number of schoolchildren attending the Championships, it is clear to see that people are passionate about supporting athletics. Team Personal Best has got off to a great start and it is exciting to see our sport harness the interest in the Summer of World Athletics to better support grassroots athletics.”

Ivo Gormley, founder of GoodGym, said:

We are a community of runners that combine getting fit with doing good, so athletics is at the core of what we do. We use our sport to help our communities, which is what Team Personal Best is all about. We are excited to be working so closely with Team Personal Best ahead of such a big summer for the sport. As long as you are up for getting sweaty, everyone is welcome at our sessions. Even if you’re not into running, our group runs are a great way to get some exercise and make a difference to a local community project.”

For the first time ever both the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships are being held in the same city in the same summer. The summer of World Athletics is the biggest event to be staged at the London Stadium since the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games with 30 sessions scheduled across 20 days.

***ENDS***

Ryan Bangs Press Manager

T: +44 (0) 7867 193 138

E: rbangs@london2017.org.uk

Notes to Editors:

Team Personal Best is part of the official inspiration programme of the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships London 2017. The programme is a series of 11 projects being delivered to harness the impact of hosting the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships London 2017 on grassroots athletics. To find out more visit www.TeamPersonalBest.org.

The London 2017 Ltd Organising Committee is delivering the IAAF World Championships and World Para Athletics Championships on behalf of UK Athletics, the Greater London Authority and UK Sport, supported by Department for Culture Media and Sport, after both events were awarded to London in 2011 and 2012.

The World Para Athletics Championships London 2017 and IAAF World Championships London 2017 are together the biggest sporting event of the year and the biggest event to be staged in the Olympic Stadium since the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

You can find out more at www.paraathleticschampionships.com and www.iaafworldchampionships.com.