The Virgin Money Giving Mini London Marathon
With just under two months to go until this year's Virgin Money Giving Mini London Marathon, London 2012 champions Mo Farah and David Weir are among the athletes to feature in a short film highlighting the event's role in inspiring young athletes.
The Mini London Marathon is an annual series of races for the country's top 2000 young talents staged over the final three miles of the famous London Marathon course on the same day as the London Marathon itself.
First held in 1986 and now the official British Road Running Championships for young athletes, it gives many burgeoning world stars their first experience of a major event in front of a large crowd.
Recalling the excitement he felt on his first Mini London Marathon appearance as a 14-year-old Hounslow schoolboy in 1997 is Farah, who finished second on that occasion. He returned to win in 1998, 1999 and 2000 before going on to become a double world and Olympic champion and will make his debut over 26.2 miles this April.
Weir dominated the Mini Wheelchair Marathon in his youth, winning seven times, and has since claimed six London Marathon wheelchair titles as well six gold medals at Paralympic Games. This year he is aiming to become the most successful wheelchair racer in London Marathon history.
"The Virgin Money Giving Mini Marathon is a fantastic way to inspire the next generation of athletes," said London Marathon race director Hugh Brasher. "They still have a long way to go, but hopefully we play an important part in helping them on that journey."
Video via Virgin Money
» For more info on the Virgin Money Giving Mini London Marathon see www.minimarathon.co.uk
