East Ayrshire pupil brings Olympic Flame to UK
16 May 2012 12:59:20
A rugby-playing young musician from Dalmellington, East Ayrshire has been selected as one of an elite group to travel to Greece to bring the Olympic Flame to the UK.
Dennis Coles, 17, of Doon Academy, was chosen by The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) to represent Scotland, along with four other young people from England (2), Northern Ireland (1) and Wales (1).
The young athlete joins HRH The Princess Royal, Sebastian Coe, Hugh Robertson, Minister of Sport and the Olympics and Mayor of London Boris Johnson as part of the London 2012 delegation. Football superstar David Beckham will meet them in Greece.
Dennis Coles said: “Going to Athens is a fantastic opportunity and to be part of such an historic ceremony representing my school and country fills me with pride and excitement.
“This is the chance of a lifetime”.
The group is accompanying the London 2012 team travelling to the Handover Ceremony in Athens to bring the Flame to the UK, ahead of its 70-day relay around the nation.
Dennis and the other young people were invited to take part in recognition of their commitment to sport and their roles in promoting the Olympic values of friendship, excellence and respect in their communities.
They have been selected from schools involved in linking programmes run by the British Council. As well as visiting some of their link schools in Athens, the youngsters have starring roles in the Handover Ceremony due to start at 7pm local Greek time (5pm BST) on Thursday 17 May at the Panathenaic Stadium.
Graham Short, East Ayrshire Council’s Executive Director of Educational and Social Services, said: “Doon Academy was chosen for this huge honour because it has a link with a school in Greece, through the British Council.
“This is just one of the many benefits which have come from Comenius cultural exchanges, so it is fitting that the huge amount of hard work which goes into these programmes is recognized by everyone”.
Doon Academy Headteacher John MacKenzie said: “We are very proud to have been selected as one of only five UK schools to be invited to play an important role in the arrangements for the 2012 London Olympics.
“Preparations for this event have been ongoing for two months, but the few people involved have not been allowed to speak about it until now.
“I know Dennis goes to Greece with the best wishes of everyone at Doon Academy”.
Kevan McCrorie, Principal Teacher of PE, is travelling to Athens with Dennis. He said: “Dennis is a model pupil who exemplifies the values of the Olympic Games and Doon Academy.
“This an amazing opportunity and a wonderful end to our three year cultural exchange programme with our Greek school friends in Patras”.
Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG, said: ‘We wanted to involve young people from across the UK in bringing home the Olympic Flame. Their stories of personal achievement and contribution to sport echo the 8,000 inspiring Torchbearer stories that will be shared over the next ten weeks in the build up to the start of the Games.’
Paul Docherty, Director UK 2012 at the British Council, said: ‘The British Council is delighted to be part of this historic occasion, enabling young people from across the UK to participate in the Handover ceremony and to meet Greek youngsters from their partner schools.
“The London 2012 Games offer a great opportunity for people in the UK and around the world to develop a better understanding of each other and build lasting relationships”.
The event will be featured on The One Show on BBC 1 on Friday at 7pm.
ends
For further information, contact Elaine Scott on 01563 576013 or email elaine.scott@east-ayrshire.gov.uk