World Class Start athletes go the distance for Blue Peter challenge

Rowers from British Rowing’s World Class Start squads have been rowing, cycling and running for the Train Your Way To Tokyo challenge

The ‘Train Your Way to Tokyo’ challenge is running until 16 June and sees Blue Peter presenter Lindsey Russell teaming up with athletes from British Rowing, British Cycling and British Athletics to cover the 9448km distance between the Blue Peter studio in Salford and the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo.

Since starting the challenge on 18 May, British Rowing’s World Class Start squads have thrown themselves into the challenge, already having covered over 8000km between them.

Nottingham World Class Start coach Nicola Benavente said: “We have a fantastic group of rowers in the World Class Start programme and they’ve really risen to the Train Your Way To Tokyo challenge. There’s been some great competition between the squads so far to see who can contribute the most kilometres – even the coaches have been getting in on the action!”

World Class Start is a British Rowing initiative which identifies and trains potential future Olympians. There are eleven squads around the UK and Olympic gold medallists Moe Sbihi, Helen Glover and Heather Stanning are all graduates of the programme.

As well as cycling, rowing and running for the Blue Peter challenge, Nottingham’s World Class Start squad have started a challenge where they recreate sporting photos of themselves as kids.

 

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Blue Peter have inspired us to have some fun with the #trainyourwaytotokyo challenge by recreating old sports photos. @britishrowing @cbbc @cbeebieshq

A post shared by Oliver Dominique (@oliverdominique_) on Jun 12, 2020 at 5:43am PDT

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Quarantine = reflection time… Blue Peter’s #trainyourwaytotokyo challenge is deffo keeping us occupied! We’ve been digging out our old photos to recreate and share. From egg and spoon to @derbyshire_tennis @waspsnetball and now @britishrowing Looking forward to what the future holds 🔮 #sameeggandspoon #thisgirlcan #rowing #sport

A post shared by Poppy (@poppyisabel_) on Jun 12, 2020 at 6:34am PDT

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Then 👉🏼 now … If you’d have told 6 year old me (even 16 year old me!) I’d be training and enjoying sport as much as I am I’d have laughed. As a child/teen I wasn’t sporty at all, found rowing as a late teen and well I think the smile in the last photo says it all. Fast forward a few years and we’re clocking up the miles for Blue Peter’s #trainyourwaytotokyo challenge – enjoying lockdown as much as we can! Dig out the old photos, recreate them and share your sporting journey… you’re up @perrimccluskey @annabelradbourne #rowing #sport #thisgirlcan

A post shared by Erica (@ericahurst0) on Jun 12, 2020 at 5:46am PDT

The group effort is running until 13th June, with the final film being shown on 18th June (5.30pm) on CBBC and iPlayer as part of a Sport Badge Special. The 2020 Sport Badge was designed by a Blue Peter viewer to celebrate next summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo. To earn a sport badge, kids aged 6-15 must try a new way of getting active.

Starting in June there will be six special episodes of Blue Peter to celebrate the Six Badges of Summer, each of the Blue Peter badges that kids can earn and add to their collection.

Follow all the updates from the GB Rowing Team on Instagram @britishrowing.