Alongside Zoe Smith for 2012 competition programme. 16 November 2011

David Weir and Zoe Smith are to be patrons for the new Balfour Beatty London Youth Games season, which begins this weekend.

Double Paralympic athletics gold medallist and five-times London Marathon winner David Weir represented his home borough of Sutton at the London Youth Games in the 1980s and 90s. More recently, 17 year old Zoe Smith competed at the London Youth Games in gymnastics and weightlifting for Greenwich.

With six Paralympic medals to his name, David is expected to be one the most prominent faces of Team GB in the push for medals next summer.

Zoe Smith, who has been billed as “Britain’s strongest schoolgirl” became the first English woman ever to win a Commonwealth Games weightlifting medal when she won bronze in Delhi last year to set herself on course to represent Team GB at London 2012.   

Now part of the Government’s nationwide School Games programme and supported by Sport England National Lottery funding, the London Youth Games has expanded to feature more schools events within its competition programme, to build on the record-breaking 71,000 youngsters who took part in last year’s Games.

This weekend’s event will see nearly 1500 youngsters from throughout London take part in the cross country competition on Parliament Hill. It is first of 80 school and community competitions supported by Sport England National Lottery funding that will take place across the year, climaxing at the finals weekend at the National Sports Centre, Crystal Palace on 28 June – 1 July 2012.

David Weir said: “It’s a big honour to be a patron of the Balfour Beatty London Youth Games. It is such an important event for youth sport in London. The London Youth Games was where I first got the taste for competing and winning. It has played a significant role in launching my career towards the Paralympic Games.

“You can never underestimate the buzz an event like the London Youth Games can create amongst young people. It is helping to drive up participation in competitive sport and for some, it ignites a spark that can inspire them right to the top level.”

Zoe Smith said: “The Balfour Beatty London Youth Games has played such a massive role in my sporting career, so it is very special to be a patron for this year’s Games. It is through the London Youth Games that I first discovered my talent for weightlifting.

“Without that early opportunity to compete, I seriously doubt whether I would have been in with a chance of competing at London 2012. It’s an amazing season of events and it’s a brilliant feeling to be able to represent your borough. I think every young Londoner should give it a go. It’s fun, it’s competitive and you never know what you might find out about yourself!”

The London Youth Games is Europe’s largest annual youth sports event.