FOUR-TIME Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy declared Bank of Scotland National School Sport Week officially open on Monday at Edinburgh’s Nether Currie Primary School.

Sir Chris met over 600 children from nine schools in Edinburgh, who took part in a range of activities, from staging an Opening Ceremony to athletics, tennis, football and a Parents Mile.

Delivered in partnership with sportscotland, the national agency for sport, Bank of Scotland National School Sport Week will encompass over 700 schools throughout the five days and encourage children to try a new Olympic or Paralympic sport.

A Bank of Scotland survey highlighted that 84 per cent of Scottish children would like their school to host Olympic and Paralympic taster sessions, while 57 per cent admit to being inspired to participate because of a home Games being awarded to London in 2012.

And Sir Chris – who won three Olympic titles in Beijing in 2008 and took his tally of World Championship titles to ten in March – is adamant the week-long event will inspire children to follow in his wheel tracks.

“I’m delighted to be able to work with Bank of Scotland and their partnership with London 2012 to support initiatives like National School Sport Week,” said Sir Chris.

“All these activities will encourage participation and inspire young people to choose a lifelong journey in sport.

“The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games provide us with all sorts of opportunities to introduce young people all over the UK to sports that they may not have previously encountered.

“At the moment British children tend to take part in the sports that we as a nation do well in  but by giving more children the opportunity to try a much wider variety of sports we will be able to increase participation levels across the board.”

National School Sport Week will help to raise the profile of sport and physical activity in schools, and will build upon work that schools and the Active Schools network are already delivering across Scotland. 

Bank of Scotland National School Sport Week takes place from 7-11 June 2010.  To find out more visit www.schoolsportweekscotland.org

See more of Sir Chris launching School Sport Week by clicking this video link here.