Newcastle North MP, Catherine McKinnell, joined Olympic triathlete Jonny Brownlee and Paralympian Lauren Steadman
to welcome children from around the country to the 100th Tata ‘Kids of Steel’ Triathlon in Parliament this week.
In the first triathlon event ever to take place in the Houses of Parliament, pupils from around the country swam, cycled and ran to help Tata Steel towards their target of completing an Olympic-length triathlon in 90 minutes.
The event was hosted by Teesside MP, Tom Blenkinsop, and Olympic bronze-medal triathlete Jonny Brownlee and Paralympian Lauren Steadman attended, to provide much appreciated training tips and advice for the junior triathletes.
The success of Team GB triathletes at the London 2012 Olympic Games was a massive boost to the sport of triathlon in the UK. Tata Steel and the British Triathlon Foundation, the sport’s charitable arm, collectively aim to introduce youngsters to the sport and encourage them to take it up.
Catherine said:
‘The work that Tata Steel and the British Triathlon Federation have been doing to promote a healthy, active lifestyle for young people is really invaluable and I’m really keen to support them expand this initiative.
‘Around 60,000 children across the UK have taken part in or experienced a triathlon since the Kids of Steel project was launched backed in 2007 – and I want to work with schools across Newcastle North to get them involved too.’