Botswana’s Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo led a Kids’ Athletics activation at the Minato City Takanawadai Elementary School on Tuesday (9), to get children moving and build further excitement ahead of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.
The activation forms part of a series of initiatives being organised by World Athletics and the local organising committee in Tokyo, together with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Japan Association of Athletics Federations, focusing on the legacy of WCH Tokyo 25 for children and future generations.
Tebogo was announced as an ambassador for the World Athletics Kids’ Athletics programme in April, when he took part in the Relay Around the World Challenge for Kids’ Athletics Day.
This time he passed the baton to the school, where 150 children joined Tebogo and WCH Tokyo 25 mascot Riku One in a Kids’ Athletics team relay uniquely designed with Japanese-themed obstacles.
The obstacles all focused on key fundamental movement skills essential for athletics and all sports:
• Bamboo forest: weaving through slalom poles
• Sakura crawl: army crawling under pink blossom
• Samurai balance: walking carefully along balance beams
• Ninja agility: dodging and leaping between marked dots
• Koi jumps: jumping through hoops like a jumping koi fish
• Taiko drums: hitting the taiko drum three times before handing over the baton
Kids’ Athletics in Tokyo (© World Athletics 
Quinten Lafort)
“I never had this kind of opportunity, and I believe the young ones will be more inspired to see superstars, global icons, coming to their school to motivate them and help them try and reach their goals,” said Tebogo. “I believe it’s a great thing to do – for the big names in the sport to push Kids’ Athletics so that in the coming years, we have future stars.
“There is a lot that sport can do in order to help save a lot of kids. I’ll talk about Africa, because that’s where I’m from. There is strong potential it is just that the kids, they don’t have the proper training equipment in order for them to excel and not all family members can afford to push, for kids to reach their goals in life, or to reach their dreams. I believe sport can help – through setting up workshops and trying to identify kids from all over the world – because there is that aspect that I feel is missing.”
Tebogo, who claimed world 100m silver and 200m bronze in Budapest two years ago, will now continue his preparations for the Tokyo World Championships, taking place in the Japanese capital from 13-21 September.
“For now, we didn’t rule anything out,” he said, when asked about his goals for the championships. “We stick to the plan: to change the medals that we got in Budapest, try and upgrade those two medals, and we are looking for three medals from this competition, in the 100m, 200m and 4x400m.”
Kids’ Athletics is a global initiative that uses the power of athletics to inspire children across the world to be more active.
In addition to Tebogo’s school visit, World Athletics and WCH Tokyo 25 have organised a baton project, where relay batons will be donated to all 1400 elementary schools across Tokyo, encouraging students to organise and participate in their own relay events.
A ‘little kids press conference’ has also been organised with Japanese hurdler Rachid Muratake and World Athletics ambassadors for WCH Tokyo 25, Sally Pearson and Christian Taylor, enabling children to ask questions and experience being a sports reporter.
There will be stadium tours for children that will involve visiting the warm-up track and medal plaza, plus a sprint challenge, with an estimated 3000 children participating in these initiatives over five days.
Through these efforts, World Athletics and WCH Tokyo 25 aim to create a vibrant legacy that connects future generations to the power of sport.
Kids’ Athletics is one of the world’s largest grassroots development programmes. It has been implemented by more than 160 member federations, and the programme has reached an estimated 13 million children and young people globally, offering a unique and engaging experience developed by coaches, teachers and youth.
World Athletics