Chris Tomlinson visits
The Orchard School

by Jess Banham

There may still be eight months to go but some Kent pupils are
already getting firmly behind our 2012 Olympic hopefuls.

Long jumper Chris Tomlinson visited The Orchard School in
Canterbury in a bid to promote athletics ahead of next year's games
and was overwhelmed by their support.

He said: "Athletics is never going to be a major player in the
sporting world but we're going to get great coverage over the next
10 months and it's an opportunity for us to tell the
kids there are other sports out there. They could try cycling
or gymnastics, for example."

Chris is the current British Indoor and Outdoor record holder in
the long jump and competed at the Olympics in Athens in 2004
and Beijing in 2008.

He won a silver medal at the World Indoor Championships in
Valencia in 2008 and took bronze in Barcelona at the European
Indoor Championships last year.

The 30-year-old told children at The Orchard
School they need to work hard if they are to be similarly
succesful.

He said: "As a sportsman, you have to have great attitudes to
life, you have to work hard and you have to be disciplined. If
you have all those things, you're going to succeed."

Chris held several workshops for the students, teaching them a
range of basic exercises from sit-ups to star jumps.

He also held an assembly for the entire school and demonstrated
his world class long jump technique to students.

One lucky pupil even got to sign a flag which will fly in the
Olympic Village.

PE teacher Gaynor Harvey said: "Today was all about getting
our youngsters to realise they're a part of next year's
Olympics.

"Our school name's on that flag and it's going to be flying
with our athletes.

"It shows we're supporting Team GB and it encourages our
students to follow their progress."

There are now just 252 days until the Olympic Games get under
way on July 27, 2012.