More than 1,150 children from local schools were given the chance to take part in a special Brownlee Foundation triathlon event at Gwella’s Mold Leisure Centre.
The event, held on Tuesday, June 16, welcomed pupils from schools across North Wales for a fun, inclusive and non-competitive introduction to triathlon. Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee attended the event, meeting pupils and presenting finisher medals as children completed swimming, cycling and running activities. The day also marked a major milestone for the Brownlee Foundation, as its 100th event.
Children taking part completed a short swim, cycle and run, with bikes and helmets provided. The event was designed to be accessible to children of all abilities, including those with little or no previous triathlon experience.
Community Spirit and Support
Tom Williams, leisure operations manager at Gwella, said: “It was a real privilege to welcome Alistair Brownlee and the Brownlee Foundation to Mold Leisure Centre for such a special event.”
“The children were absolutely fantastic throughout the day. They showed brilliant energy, confidence and determination, and it was great to see how proud they were when they crossed the finish line and received their medals.”
“We would like to thank the Brownlee Foundation, all the local schools involved, our Gwella staff, the volunteers from Tata Steel and Runtech who gave their time to support the event, and everyone who helped make the day such a success.”
“Events like this are exactly what community leisure is about. They give children the chance to be active, and enjoy a positive experience through sport, no matter their ability.”
A Milestone for the Brownlee Foundation
Alistair Brownlee, from the Brownlee Foundation, commented: “I was delighted to be here today. It is a very significant milestone for the Brownlee Foundation (our 100th event).”
“More importantly, it is another 1,100 children who have had the chance to try something new and hopefully be inspired to be more active and enjoy participating in sport.”
The foundation was set up by Alistair and Jonny Brownlee to give children positive experiences of being active and to help inspire young people through sport. The Mold event was delivered in partnership with Tata Steel, Runtech and Pho3nix Kids, with support from Gwella staff and volunteers.
