Tail Walker role for ‘Headhunter’ Jade Jones MBE this Saturday at Wepre parkrun

Update:

Jade completed the Wepre park course, she was last 😉

Here’s .@jadejonestkd finishing #parkrun Thanks for your support Jade! @uk_sport #teamparkrun pic.twitter.com/A4V5XK83jT

— Wepre parkrun (@wepreparkrun) August 19, 2017

Flintshire double Olympic taekwondo champion Jade Jones MBE will be swapping head-hunting for tail walking this Saturday at Wepre Park.

Knicknamed the ‘headhunter’ for her clinical accuracy in finding those all-important head shots during her title winning fights, Jade will be participating in UK Sport’s #teamparkrun event, acting as the ‘tail walker’, to ensure that – as is the parkrun ethos – no-one finishes last.

The National Lottery, UK Sport and parkrun UK have teamed up and invited 100 of UK Sport’s National Lottery funded Olympic and Paralympic athletes to #teamparkrun events this Saturday.

#teamparkrun has also be backed by host national governing bodies including Sport Wales the British Olympic Association and British Paralympic Association and follows on from the success of ‘I am Team GB’ last year.

I Am Team GB inspired nearly 1 million people to take part in the nation’s biggest-ever sports day and celebrated the success of Britain’s athletes at the Rio 2016 Games where Jade won her second gold medal to go with her London 2012 title.

There are over 630 parkruns which take place every weekend across the UK, the inaugural Wepre parkrun took place in May last year and has gone from strength to strength with over 100 people running, jogging and walking the five-kilometre Wepre Park course every week.

Dame Katherine Grainger, five-time Olympic medallist and the newly appointed Chair of UK Sport, said:

“The nation, and specially National Lottery players, have been backing us as athletes for 21 years now and none of us would be where we are today without their support.

“While sport and activity are integral to our lifestyles, we know that for some people taking up activity for the first time can be a scary prospect. parkrun offers a free, friendly and welcoming way to start, and our athletes will be there on August 19 to make any newcomers feel extra welcome.

“If you’ve been thinking about getting active, join #teamparkrun on August 19; you’ve been right behind us for so long and now your athletes will be right behind you!”

Nick Pearson, Chief Executive of parkrun, said:

“One of the most common reasons that people register with parkrun but don’t go on to take part is because they don’t feel capable of running 5k.

This initiative, which will see GB athletes supporting parkrunners, will reinforce the message that not only do we encourage walkers at parkrun, but that all of our events have volunteer Tail Walkers who provide support along the course.”

Wepre parkrun start at 9am every Saturday morning.

Image: Wepre parkrun – Phil Tugwell