I’ll help Rashy get the kids in shape
FALL IN ACTIVITY WORRIES GREG
GREG RUTHERFORD has been inspired by Marcus Rashford to help improve the lives of families in lockdown.
The London 2012 Olympic champion is fronting a Sport England campaign to tackle a drop in children’s activity levels during the pandemic.
“We’re nearly a year into this now and fewer kids are active,” said the long-jump legend. “As a dad of two, with one on the way, I’m really concerned about getting kids moving.”
Rutherford’s involvement comes at a time when footballer-turned-food poverty campaigner Rashford is being hailed as a saviour to millions.
“Rashy is an absolute hero,” he said. “He’s changing people’s thought processes and getting things done.
“My profile is miniscule compared to his but when I see someone so young having such an impact it totally inspires me.
“For him, it’s not enough to score goals, it’s about affecting change.”
Figures released by Sport England show the number of physically active children and young people fell significantly during the 2019-20 academic year. Fewer than half took part in sport or physical activity for an average of 60 minutes a day as recommended by the Government’s chief medical officer, with 2.3 million falling short of the 30-minute mark.
Rutherford, 34, said: “We need to make sure kids don’t switch off to sport; that we don’t have a situation where the next Marcus Rashford or Dina AsherSmith is lost.” Tim Hollingsworth, the chief executive of Sport England, describes the pandemic as the “biggest wake-up call in a generation” for why being fit and healthy matters to general physical and mental wellbeing.
Rutherford added: “You don’t have to train like an Olympian to be fit and healthy. Just moving and being active can massively benefit you.”
British Olympic Association chairman Sir Hugh Robertson says he is optimistic the Olympics in Tokyo will take place this year.
Should it again be called off, though, Rutherford proposes pushing it back two years.
He said: “Preparations for 2024 are already going ahead and 2020 was pretty much ready to go. Athletes in their prime would absolutely love back-to-back Olympics.”
●Greg Rutherford has teamed up with Sport England to help families stay active in lockdown. For ideas on how to keep your kids active, visit sportengland.org/jointhemovement
Rashford has helped change children’s lives