MILLIONS of children around the world regularly run The Daily Mile to keep fit and have fun. But it’s not every day that they are joined by an Olympic athlete for their 15-minute energy boost away from the classroom. For hundreds of schoolchildren in the UK, though, that’s what happened on June 23 when 30 British Olympians turned up at their schools to take part in Team GB’s Olympic Day Daily Mile.
“Seeing how much energy and excitement the children put into celebrating Olympic Day was a brilliant reminder of how important it is to just move and have fun,” said Max Whitlock, who was recently named as the Team GB Foundation’s first ambassador.
Olympic Day is celebrated around the world by athletes – past and present – every June 23. It is an annual tradition that dates back to 1948 and focuses on the core values at the heart of the Olympic Games – excellence, friendship and respect.
Those values mean a lot to the INEOS-backed Daily Mile team too who were invited to celebrate with Team GB this year.
“It was such a joy to see so many children across the UK getting active together on Olympic Day through The Daily Mile,” said global director Gordon Banks.
In all, more than 107,000 children from 466 schools in the UK marked Olympic Day by taking part in The Daily Mile.
Among the athletes visiting schools was Max Whitlock, the most successful gymnast in British history who visited St Mary’s RC Primary School in Salford, near Manchester. He was joined by Team GB long jumper Abigail Irozuru, who was born and raised in the city. Max and Abigail met pupils, told how being active had improved their well-being throughout their careers, and then took part in The Daily Mile.
Jen Rouse, Managing Director of the Team GB Foundation, said, “Olympic Day was a powerful reminder of what sport could do for one’s confidence and resilience. It also builds a real sense of belonging,” she said.
Olympic Day June 23 2025
- 30 British Olympians participated in the event
- 107,000+ children took part in the event
- 466 schools in the UK participated
Seeing how much energy and excitement the children put into celebrating Olympic Day today was a brilliant reminder of how important it is to just move and have fun.