Written by Menswear Style in Sports on the 2nd May 2019

Nike have demonstrated its commitment to getting more young Londoners playing sport in the city by announcing a multi-year partnership with the London Youth Games. The London Youth Games has been London’s largest provider of youth sporting opportunities for over 40 years. Their mission is to inspire and enable every young Londoner to find their best through sport. Reaching 140,000 young people across 33 boroughs in 30 sports, they’re an organisation that’s committed to inclusivity - they believe that as long as a young Londoner has a dream to play, they should also have the opportunity

With the decline in youth service provisions, the increase in youth on youth crime and still unacceptably low levels of physical activity, it is a belief at Nike that sport should play a daily role in the lives of young Londoners and can be a positive vehicle for change. Nike has been powering up the capabilities of the London Youth Games with a goal to increase long-term participation in the city. By 2022, the goal is to serve more than 200,000 young people through the program each year.

The organisation plays a significant role in the lives of young Londoners and the access it can provide to sport. It has provided a pathway for some of the greatest athletes to come from the city. Raheem Sterling, Jadon Sancho, Alex Scott, Dina Asher-Smith and Mo Farah all had the opportunity to represent their boroughs when growing up. Gathering at the historic Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, home of the London Youth Games Finals Weekend, Nike brought together more than 500 of the capitals top athletes, community partners and young people as it champions the people that are already inspiring and enabling the next generation of young people across the city.

Nicky Affleck, interim CEO of the London Youth Games said, “When Nike first approached us it was immediately clear that we shared the same values and vision. Creating opportunities for every young Londoner to play sport is an unwavering belief we both share. This unique partnership with Nike represents a game changing moment for London Youth Games and will allow us to inspire and enable more young people to play sport more often” Nike has also committed to a multi-year partnership with Virgin Sport to get Hackney moving, for the community, by the community. The Hackney Festival of Fitness will take place from 17th–19th May and is the youngest, most diverse sporting event in the city.

Nike will encourage 10,000 Londoners to take on their first 5k and for those willing to push the boundaries will be unlocking 1,300 Hackney Half places in 2020 and 2021. Nike will further be partnering with Track Mafia, who have been at the heart of Hackney Half since its inception, to engage with the community in an authentic way and become the voice of Hackney. Cory Wharton-Malcolm founder of Track Mafia and Nike Running Head Coach said, “There are some who believe that the Hackney weekend is just about running, but to us and many others it’s about so much more. It’s about togetherness, it’s about supporting others and most importantly it’s about celebrating our differences. This, for us, is the epitome of community – the ability to come together and share the road with people who in your normal day to day life you would never come across.”

Nike announced it was committing to further youth partnerships today as it aims to enable more young Londoners to play sport. Made to Play is a global commitment from Nike to get young people to live happier, healthier and more successful lives. Working hand in hand with their partners in London, Nike has introduced programmes such as Marathon Kids, Active Kids Do Better and Active School Hero, all with the aim of getting kids active. Further commitments have been created with Football Beyond Borders, Gloves not Gunz and Love Basketball.

Gathering at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre we take a look at Nike's latest commitment to the London Youth Games with a London Youth Sports Partnership.