Youngsters get chance to try boxing at Birmingham 2022 #BringThePower event

700 primary school pupils from across Birmingham had the chance to get their first taste of boxing as the Countdown to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games continues.

The event – part of the #BringThePower programme – attracted participation from 50 schools all across the city and enabled children to try out a ranged of sports that will feature at the Games, which take placed between Thursday 28th July and Monday 8th August.

The boxing zone was manned by England Boxing’s team of Club Support Officers and featured boxing themed relays, boxing themed warm-up games and pads in the ring.

Other sports and activities included were wrestling, squad, netball, wheelchair basketball, table tennis, volleyball, rugby, hockey, cricket, bowls, triathlon, while there were also graffiti workshops, cheerleading and Haka lessons.

“It was a huge event, and at the heart of it was making sure that children and young people feel connected and excited about the upcoming Commonwealth Games,” said Alton Brown, Birmingham 2022’s Head of Youth Programmes and Policy.

GB Boxing’s Olympic gold medallist from Tokyo 2020 Galal Yafai was there to support the boxing sessions, having come through the ranks at Birmingham City ABC.

His road to the Olympics was boosted with gold at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games of 2018 in Australia.

He said: “The Commonwealth Games is important… we all want to win medals as athletes, especially gold medals, but we also want to give back to the kids and the young community in Birmingham.

“We want to promote the Games for the city and want to involve all the young people, as we are doing with this programme.”

England Boxing’s Club and Community Manager, Avoen Perryman, was part of the team to deliver the boxing activities, along with local club, the Pat Benson Boxing Academy.

“We all had such a great time engaging the children and young people from primary schools from all across Birmingham,” he said.

“Boxing is a sport that many of these young people will never have had the chance to try out before, and we know that events like these are what makes memories for them that can inspire and lead to a lifetime of healthy physical activity.

“Not only this, but by providing opportunities for young people at events like these and signposting them to their local club can be beneficial in so many other ways besides just staying active.

“Whether it be team building, creating a routine, having positive role-models or volunteering to support their local community, we hope that the event yesterday made a small difference to some young people in creating a legacy from the Commonwealth Games.

“I’d like to say thank you to the team at #B2022 for organising the event, the volunteers at Paddy Benson’s for giving up their time to help, and the CSO team for pulling it all together to make it such a massive success.”

Find out more about the #BringThePower programme by clicking here.

If you still want to buy tickets to watch the Games, click here.