National Lottery Anniversary Run First Event to be Held at Olympic Park

The first event in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Stadium since the London 2012 Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony will be The National Lottery Anniversary Run, unhealthy it has been announced today.

The five-mile mass participation run is being held in association with the London Borough of Newham, The National Lottery and the London Legacy Development Corporation, and will be staged by Nova International on Sunday 21st July 2013.

The event will give up to 10,000 members of the public the chance to follow in the footsteps of their sporting idols, running the final 300m to the Stadium finish line on the same track that Usain Bolt, Jessica Ennis, Jonnie Peacock and Mo Farah raced to win Gold.

Building on last year’s successful ‘National Lottery Olympic Park Run’, which was the first-ever public event inside the Stadium, the five-mile route will take in iconic venues across Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Up to 10,000 places will be available to runners at ticket launch, each with the chance to bring two friends or family members to sit in the Stadium and cheer them on to their own moment of glory.

Nova International is the leader in mass participation sport and has created the event with the London Borough of Newham, The National Lottery and the London Legacy Development Corporation.

Chairman and founder of Nova International Brendan Foster said: “‘The National Lottery Anniversary Run’ will be one of the great sporting events for the public to be part of this year. To run in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and finish in the Stadium – following in the footsteps of legends such as Usain Bolt and Mo Farah – is a unique opportunity. I hope it will inspire a range of new people to participate in physical activity.”

Andy Duncan, Managing Director of National Lottery operator Camelot, said:  “No-one contributed more to Great Britain’s glorious summer of sporting success last year than National Lottery players – indeed, nine out of 10 of our medallists benefited from lottery support.

“‘The National Lottery Anniversary Run’ celebrates this, and the life-changing support our players continue to give to both grassroots and elite sport as part of the £30 million-plus they raise for Good Causes throughout the UK each and every week.  It is also a fitting reminder of the significant contribution that lottery players made to making the Olympic Park become a reality.”

Dennis Hone, Chief Executive, London Legacy Development Corporation said: “Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park begins to open from July 2013 and it will primarily be a public park open for people to come and explore and enjoy. This summer we are hosting a series of events to mark the anniversary of the Games and the Park beginning to open. We are delighted that ‘The National Lottery Anniversary Run’ is one such event, welcoming people into the Park to enjoy the fantastic new facilities before the Park fully opens in spring 2014.”