Roger Black's Olympic Challenge Radio 4 : Originally broadcast on 26th, 27th and 28th February 2007 at 11am
**REPEATED: Mon2/Tues3/Weds4 APRIL at 2330 on Radio 4
Narrator: Samantha Bond Series Producer: Mark Alden Editor: Stewart Lansley Project Manager: Dorothy Stiven Producer: Kirsten Lass Recorded and Mixed by Peregrine Andrews
PROGRAMME INFORMATION:
Former World Champion and Olympic Silver medallist Roger Black takes up the challenge of getting Britain’s kids fit for the London Olympics.
He spends a term in an inner London comprehensive school working with one class of twelve year olds. He has to overcome a number of major hurdles if he wants to improve the health and fitness of his class…
The school has no playing fields or outdoor space for sport
Roger’s class have never competed in an inter-school sporting fixture.
Roger only has an hour and a half of timetabled PE a week with his class
As Roger battles to overcome these hurdles he also has to prepare his class for an end of term athletics competition against two schools renowned for their accomplishments in sport.
See how the class did in the Roger Black Sportshall Challenge competing against Haberdasher’s Aske’s Hatcham College and Latymer Upper.
Hurlingham and Chelsea school battled it out on 15 December 2006 as they faced two other schools, Haberdashers’ Aske’s Hatcham and Latymer Upper, in a Sportshall Challenge at Brunel University in Middlesex. On the way to the competition Lily, 12, from Hurlingham and Chelsea wasn’t optimistic about their chances saying ‘The other schools have better sports facilities and will have picked their best players. We have brought our whole class, not just our best athletes so I don’t think we are going to win.’
During the day the schools competed on a range of events for track and field. The fastest boy from H&C was Remi winning the two lap race. At the end of the day Roger Black announced the final results. Haberdashers’ Aske’s were first, Latymer Upper second and H&C third. On the bus back to school Lily said ‘ Although we didn’t win everyone tried their best which was good. It was a good day and I enjoyed it.’
On 9 January the winners received their medals at City Hall. By Shannon, 12.
Below photos of Shannon, the balloon game and Alfie jumping.
Roger Black MBE
For fourteen years Roger Black represented Great Britain at the highest level in the world of athletics, both as an individual 400 metres runner and as a member of the 4x400 metres relay team. He won fifteen major Championship medals including European, Commonwealth, and World Championship Gold medals. His greatest achievement was winning the Olympic 400 metres Silver medal in 1996 and he is particularly admired for his triumphs over adversity, successfully overcoming several serious injuries and set backs throughout his career. He was British Men's Team Captain and was awarded the M.B.E. in 1992. Roger Black is now a television presenter and an accomplished motivational speaker and conference host.
Roger says ‘Sport means a great deal to me and I think it can teach you immensely important lessons for life- the concept of teamwork, the relationship between effort and reward and learning to cope with winning and losing. I passionately believe that all children should be doing more sport at school. It’s the only place where you can give all kids, regardless of ability or wealth, the same sporting opportunities and that’s why I wanted to get involved with a school like Hurlingham and Chelsea. I wanted to show that even with limited facilities we can get all kids more active and participating in more physical exercise’
The Class
Year 8 pupils at Hurlingham and Chelsea in Fulham, London
Pupils from Roger’s class made a short news film about sport in their school for the BBC’s School Report, an initiative to help students develop their journalistic skills and become School Reporters. To see their film click here
SARA: Well I don’t really do a lot of PE to be honest because I just don’t really like doing PE and I can’t do it because I’m rubbish at everything and I just can’t do nothing in there. So I think what’s the point in going. GEMMA: I don’t like doing PE because you have to run around and get sweaty and then when it’s time to change you just feel all sweaty and it’s just boring. PHOTOS See the photos of 8LE at a team building day at Chelsea Barracks with former Royal Marines
London Mayor Ken Livingstone said:
“This initiative underlines the importance of getting young people involved in more physical activity, especially during this time of year when many of us are making New Year’s resolutions to become fitter and more active. I hope the young people taking part are proud of their achievements and most of all have had lots of fun.”
For fourteen years Roger Black represented Great Britain at the highest level in the world of athletics, both as an individual 400 metres runner and as a member of the 4x400 metres relay team. He won fifteen major Championship medals including European, Commonwealth, and World Championship Gold medals. His greatest achievement was winning the Olympic 400 metres Silver medal in 1996 and he is particularly admired for his triumphs over adversity, successfully overcoming several serious injuries and set backs throughout his career. He was British Men's Team Captain and was awarded the M.B.E. in 1992. Roger Black is now a television presenter and an accomplished motivational speaker and conference host.
