The Euros and Wimbledon may be over, but with the Anniversary Games this weekend, and the Olympics and Paralympics yet to come, this is shaping up to be a summer of sport. Hoping to harness young people's enthusiasm for sport, Weetabix has challenged a host of sports stars to take up something new. Gold medal winner Denise Lewis OBE recently took up cricket for the challenge, you can see how she gets on below.
Throughout July and August, leading breakfast cereal Weetabix are running a ‘Summer of Sport’ campaign and every pack purchased gives you the chance to receive a free or 2-4-1 Sports session. There is also the opportunity to win a money can’t buy prize, such as sporting experiences with athletes, including Denise Lewis herself, and other rewards including team kits and biking sets.
Weetabix is hoping its Summer of Sport opportunities will encourage us Brits to get off the sofa and out trying a new sport this summer. Everyone of any age and ability can step up and try something new for the summer of sport 2016. After all, sport needn't wear you out, take lots of time or cost a fortune. All you have to do is start something new, with the aid of Weetabix!
Keen to inspire the nation to get up and get active, on a recent sunny day at Lee Valley Athletics Centre in London, Denise gave her tips, advice and insider knowledge on everything Heptathlon. She talked about how she was riveted when watching the 1980 Moscow Olympics, spending the whole summer wanting to be an athlete. She quickly joined her local club and, with a great coach, got the bug. Despite the gruelling training for the seven events of the heptathlon, Denise says she enjoys its ever-changing track and field nature which combine to make it more interesting than other athletic events, as she says:
"Training's tough, but it's interesting because it's ever changing. You feel much more immersed in the sport because you are covering so many different events."
Nutrition, knowing what to eat and when in order to keep the body hydrated and functioning at 100%, is a key element of heptathlon training. Denise admits:
"A great impact is on how you fuel yourself, as a young athlete I probably wasn't the best, although my mum did give me good food! Understanding what fuel you really need to take in to not only replenish, but give you the energy to train full time, twice a day, six days a week, starts with a really good diet."
Luckily, there was always one good element to her diet:
"Understanding the importance of hydration, starting the day off well with a good breakfast and I have always had Weetabix in my life, in the 80's Weetabix did a very sporty campaign and I used to collect the stickers and stick them in my scrapbook. Weetabix is the nutritional expert that can be trusted to deliver the full package of: vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients your body, heart, brain and muscles need to stay healthy and active."
But, famous for her multiple medal-winning heptathlon exploits, how would Denise Lewis OBE get on when she stepped out of her comfort zone and tried cricket for the first time? Watch these videos to see how Denise got on with her Sporting Start challenges, powered by the nutritionally balanced, natural goodness of Weetabix.
Denise teamed up with the Women's England Cricket Team to learn the skills of cricket. First things first, catching:
See how Denise gets on behind the bat, with the help of head coach Salliann Briggs:
I don't have much cricket experience beyond teaching and playing Non-stop Cricket at school, but bowling properly always looks the hardest skill to learn. See how Denise gets on here:
As a heptathlete, Denise will have no problem with running fast, but running between wickets is a different skill, here's why:
After all the training, see how Denise's skills have developed. It's time to get serious!
No more training, it's match time! See how Denise gets on in a fast-paced, high skill game with some of her Women's England Cricket Team teammates:
So after her gruelling cricket training, what advice does Denise have for the next generation trying a new sport for the first time?
"What I think is important for most children is that when we first go into an environment like that is that they're having fun. If they genuinely are into athletics or want to do something it gives them (kids) the opportunity to try out different events on those 2 days. Then perhaps eventually they can pick which one of the days suits them best!"
With the upcoming school holidays and parents always in need of some inspiration to keep them occupied, this is the perfect time to pick up a pack of Weetabix, grab your free sports session and start something new!
Promotional Weetabix Summer of Sport campaign packs are available across Weetabix's entire family including 12's, 24's, 36's, 72's, and also Crispy Minis, Protein Crunch and Oatibix.
For more information, visit: www.weetabixsport.co.uk/get-inspired
Throughout July and August, leading breakfast cereal Weetabix are running a ‘Summer of Sport’ campaign and every pack purchased gives you the chance to receive a free or 2-4-1 Sports session. There is also the opportunity to win a money can’t buy prize, such as sporting experiences with athletes, including Denise Lewis herself, and other rewards including team kits and biking sets.
Weetabix is hoping its Summer of Sport opportunities will encourage us Brits to get off the sofa and out trying a new sport this summer. Everyone of any age and ability can step up and try something new for the summer of sport 2016. After all, sport needn't wear you out, take lots of time or cost a fortune. All you have to do is start something new, with the aid of Weetabix!
Keen to inspire the nation to get up and get active, on a recent sunny day at Lee Valley Athletics Centre in London, Denise gave her tips, advice and insider knowledge on everything Heptathlon. She talked about how she was riveted when watching the 1980 Moscow Olympics, spending the whole summer wanting to be an athlete. She quickly joined her local club and, with a great coach, got the bug. Despite the gruelling training for the seven events of the heptathlon, Denise says she enjoys its ever-changing track and field nature which combine to make it more interesting than other athletic events, as she says:
"Training's tough, but it's interesting because it's ever changing. You feel much more immersed in the sport because you are covering so many different events."
Nutrition, knowing what to eat and when in order to keep the body hydrated and functioning at 100%, is a key element of heptathlon training. Denise admits:
"A great impact is on how you fuel yourself, as a young athlete I probably wasn't the best, although my mum did give me good food! Understanding what fuel you really need to take in to not only replenish, but give you the energy to train full time, twice a day, six days a week, starts with a really good diet."
Luckily, there was always one good element to her diet:
"Understanding the importance of hydration, starting the day off well with a good breakfast and I have always had Weetabix in my life, in the 80's Weetabix did a very sporty campaign and I used to collect the stickers and stick them in my scrapbook. Weetabix is the nutritional expert that can be trusted to deliver the full package of: vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients your body, heart, brain and muscles need to stay healthy and active."
But, famous for her multiple medal-winning heptathlon exploits, how would Denise Lewis OBE get on when she stepped out of her comfort zone and tried cricket for the first time? Watch these videos to see how Denise got on with her Sporting Start challenges, powered by the nutritionally balanced, natural goodness of Weetabix.
Denise teamed up with the Women's England Cricket Team to learn the skills of cricket. First things first, catching:
See how Denise gets on behind the bat, with the help of head coach Salliann Briggs:
I don't have much cricket experience beyond teaching and playing Non-stop Cricket at school, but bowling properly always looks the hardest skill to learn. See how Denise gets on here:
As a heptathlete, Denise will have no problem with running fast, but running between wickets is a different skill, here's why:
After all the training, see how Denise's skills have developed. It's time to get serious!
No more training, it's match time! See how Denise gets on in a fast-paced, high skill game with some of her Women's England Cricket Team teammates:
So after her gruelling cricket training, what advice does Denise have for the next generation trying a new sport for the first time?
"What I think is important for most children is that when we first go into an environment like that is that they're having fun. If they genuinely are into athletics or want to do something it gives them (kids) the opportunity to try out different events on those 2 days. Then perhaps eventually they can pick which one of the days suits them best!"
With the upcoming school holidays and parents always in need of some inspiration to keep them occupied, this is the perfect time to pick up a pack of Weetabix, grab your free sports session and start something new!
Promotional Weetabix Summer of Sport campaign packs are available across Weetabix's entire family including 12's, 24's, 36's, 72's, and also Crispy Minis, Protein Crunch and Oatibix.
For more information, visit: www.weetabixsport.co.uk/get-inspired
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