Paris 2024: How elite athletes inspire young people to become the best version of themselves

Andy Francis, active communities manager at Ignite Sport, discusses how the Olympic Games positively impacts grassroots participation and inspires the next generation of enthusiasts.  

Sport and its ability to positively impact the lives of people physically, mentally and socially should never be underestimated.  

It helps people to develop new skills, increase self-confidence, make friends and even establish their career pathways. It’s something the team at Ignite Sport is exposed to frequently through our holiday camp delivery and work in schools.  

While the foundation level of sports participation might not be something you necessarily associate with the highest tier of performance, elite athletes will inspire young learners every day.  

A standout moment for me at the recent Paris 2024 Olympics was watching 800m athlete Keely Hodgkinson power to gold following a strong front-running performance.  

Overnight, she had gone from a young athlete raised by amateur sports club Leigh Harriers to a household superstar and has amassed over a half-a-million followers on social media. The reaction of her fellow club members underlined exactly what sport means to people and the impact it has on individuals, communities and future generations.  

And those experiences would’ve been replicated in clubs across the UK for Team GB’s other 65 medallists.  

Perhaps most significant of all is the impact Team GB athletes have on the younger generation and what they might later achieve or aspire to become in life – and that’s not just exclusive to athletics and the Olympics.  

Cricket was my sport of choice growing up, and England’s 2005 Ashes success over Australia genuinely captured the imagination of the nation with the entire country seemingly hooked on every ball.  

Playing and coaching cricket as part of my profession and during my free time is still something I enjoy to this day. That’s my first touchpoint with sport and participation influenced by what I watched on TV – and I guarantee every other coach in our team could tell you something equivalent.  

Upon founding the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin stated his belief that organised sport helps to establish moral and social strength, adding that it brings people of all abilities, experiences, backgrounds, cultures, nationalities and incomes together. 

Another belief – which mirrors exactly what we stand for at Ignite Sport – is that everyone should be able to access good quality education and sport.  

The legacy left by Mr Coubertin means Olympic host cities continue to develop inclusive education programmes that represent the Games’ key values of excellence, respect and friendship. 

It goes without saying our summer of sport is far from over, with the 2024 Paralympic Games starting on Wednesday. The Paralympics is a shining example of what can be achieved when an individual or group of people put their mind to something.  

We’re confident this enthusiasm and determination to be the best version of yourself is reflected in our work across grassroots sports. And you never know, maybe one day, one of our own holiday camp participants might just step out onto the
biggest stage and represent Team GB.  

Andy Francis, active communities manager at Ignite Sport