BBC launch Ultimate Sports Day in run-up to London 2012

January 12, 2012   ·   1 Comments

The BBC are launching a new landmark sports series for children to be broadcast in the run-up to London 2012. Ultimate Sports Day will see elite sport stars Christian Malcolm, Barry McGuigan, Dean Macey and Sinead Kerr encourage a selection of the UK’s finest young athletes to sporting glory.

The sporting stars will be joined by Olympians Amy Williams, Phillips Idowu, Louis Smith, Kelly Sotherton and British Olympic hopeful Harry Aikines-Aryeetey to test the teenagers and help foster the nation’s future medallists.

The 11x30min series is filmed at Scotland’s state-of-the-art Ravenscraig sports centre, and sees four teams of four young athletes from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run, jump, shoot and ride their way to become the Ultimate Sports Day champions.

Hosted by Ore Oduba (CBBC’s Newsround and BBC Sport presenter), each episode tests the teams’ sports skills through a series of specially-devised ‘Ultimate Events’ such as the breathtaking Skywalker and the bouncy Bungee Basketball. Supported by the Youth Sports Trust, Ultimate Sports Day has assembled some of the nations’ most gifted young sports talent across a range of sports.

They are put through their paces at a boot camp -amidst fierce competition – before the final teams are selected. Viewers can follow their progress from the opening trials through to the two finals and the ultimate crowning of the winning team.

Each team is mentored by some of the UK’s biggest sporting stars: former decathlete and Commonwealth Gold medallist Dean Macey coaches the England team; seven times British Champion Ice Dancer Sinead Kerr mentors Scotland; Team GB Captain, sprinter Christian Malcolm flies the flag for Wales; while Northern Ireland is led by former World Featherweight Boxing Champion Barry McGuigan. The mentors and the contestants compete under the watchful eye of top sports Professor and trainer Greg Whyte – who guided Eddie Izzard and David Walliams in their running and swimming marathons for Sport Relief.

“Ultimate Sports Day is a wonderful opportunity for elite sports stars to help young people in sport and showcase their talents,” says Ore Oduba. “This is about celebrating young sports stars and testing their mettle to see what it takes to be the best. These competitors are some of the finest young athletes the nation has to offer but it’s not just about their sporting ability. The challenges are designed to test their minds and temperaments as well as their ability to work as a team to see if they what it takes to taste Olympic glory in the future.”

Ulitmate Sports Day Challenges will include :

Sky Walker

Not for the fainthearted, the competitors must haul themselves to the top of one of the two 15m sky towers, walk across the interconnecting balance beam, retrieve a hanging ring and place it on a suspended hook. Once all three rings have been placed the final competitor must take a leap of faith to grab the team’s flag and signal the end of the game.

Spin Shot 1 – Football

This tricky take on the beautiful game sees the competitors trying to avoid three rotating branches on a turntable while passing the ball to the nominated striker who must find the back of the net alternately in the two provided goals.

Spin Shot 2 – Basketball

Back on the rotating podium, the competitors must avoid the three rotating branches, cunningly set at different heights, to pass the basketball and slam dunk alternately in the two provided nets.

Bike Power

With USD bikes attached to the Sky Towers, competitors must harness their power, pace and endurance to pedal for their lives in a race to light up the towers before their competitor.

Bungee Basketball

One of the mentors’ favourite games. Whilst attached to a bungee the participants must leap off a platform, bounce off the ground and score goals in one of the three basketball nets at different heights. With an ascending order of points will they go for the easier lower nets or the high-scoring top nets?

Push O’ War

A test of group brute strength. With a block attached to a moving rail on a platform, competitors must go head to head to push the other team off the platform by pushing against the block.

The Chaser

Who is the mystery Chaser? A twist on a straightforward test of speed, contestants must run 150m and reach the finish line before the mysterious ‘Chaser’ (reminiscent of Top Gear’s The Stig), catches them up and over takes them.

Ultimate Sports Day starts on Saturday 28 January 2012 at 9am on the CBBC Channel.