Athletic championship organisers target children

Mark Lewis-Francis said he hoped the championships would be a way to get more children active

A major athletics championships in Birmingham is a moment to try to get more children active and taking part in sports, organisers say.

A program of activities to get local youngsters exercising was announced at the Alexander Stadium with 13 months until the start of the 2026 European Athletics Championships at the venue.

A group of schoolchildren were joined on Tuesday by former Olympic champion Mark Lewis-Francis for the event at the host stadium.

The sprinter said inspiring communities across the city was "very important" for organisers.

Aiming to piggyback off the success of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, held in Birmingham, planners are hoping their year-long program will get children taking part in sports.

Organisers are hoping to have a similar effect in Birmingham as the 2022 Commonwealth Games

Royston Hoggarth, chair of the event's stakeholder board, said: "There are two things we want to achieve from hosting the championships.

"One is to have an amazing event where athletes and spectators have great experience but also, more importantly, we want to leverage and pull together the whole of Birmingham and the communities in Birmingham to give them access to athletics.

"We just want kids to be active and this is a wonderful opportunity to bring kids together in this massive wonderful place called Birmingham."

The program of events will include daily miles, junior park runs and an activity track around Birmingham aimed at children.

Lewis-Francis said he hoped the scheme would help "get kids active".

"We've got a major championship coming up next year and I think to inspire communities, not just the kids, to be a part of it, is very important for Birmingham," he said.

"It's not just to try and find the next top athlete, it's to get kids outside and get them involved in sport."