Your chance to run in Olympic Stadium

Oct 19 2011 by Our Correspondent, Birkenhead News

THE ballot for places in The National Lottery Olympic Park Run, which takes place on 31 March 2012, closes on Thursday.

And Birkenhead News readers are being encouraged to apply to take part in what will be the very first public event staged in the magnificent Olympic Stadium.

5,000 lucky applicants will have the chance to be the first runners to cross the Olympic Stadium finish line in this historic five-mile run, which celebrates the contribution of The National Lottery and its players to London 2012.

The online ballot can be entered by visiting www.national-lottery.co.uk/run between now and the closing time of midnight on Thursday. The National Lottery Olympic Park Run is open to anyone aged 16 or over, of any running ability. The 5,000 lucky hopefuls chosen from the ballot to tackle the run will also be allocated a pair of spectator passes each to the Olympic Stadium, so that two friends or family members can cheer them on and be part of this memorable occasion.

The five-mile course will traverse the Olympic Park and offer access across it on a scale not yet experienced by the public.

The route will pass alongside the other iconic Olympic and Paralympic Games venues that The National Lottery has helped fund and where many elite athletes’ hopes and dreams of London 2012 medal success will be realised just a few months later. The run will reach its thrilling conclusion on the home straight in the spectacular Olympic Stadium. Vying to cross the finish line first will also be a host of former and current Olympic and Paralympic athletes and celebrity runners.

Dianne Thompson, Chief Executive of Camelot, said: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take part in one of the most thrilling events in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Liverpool 400m runner Christine Ohuruogu said: “The support of National Lottery players in helping athletes fulfil their dreams of medal success in London 2012 and beyond cannot be underestimated. Since the lottery’s funding of elite sport commenced in 1997 it has played a huge role in putting more and more sportsmen and women on the podium for GB.

“Lottery funding has made the difference”.