Last updated at 14:13, Monday, 30 November 2009

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JONATHAN Edwards has never regretted retiring from the peak of international athletics.

Now aged 43, he can look back on a career that glittered with gold and will be remembered for its records.

Even Edwards, however, admits that when the London Olympics begin in 970 days’ time there will part of him wishing he could re-lace up his spikes.

“I’ve never regretted retiring once, but I know that when I’ll be in the stadium for 2012 I’ll be wishing I was out there,” said the world’s greatest-ever triple jumper.

“To compete in front of a home crowd as an Olympian would be just the best experience.

“When I won my Olympic gold medal in Sydney it was the same night that Australian Cathy Freeman won her gold medal (in the 400m) and I saw how the crowd responded to her, the home heroine bringing home the gold medal. It was just phenomenal.

“I think we will have the most remarkable celebration come 2012.”

Edwards was in the county in his role as deputy chair of the London 2012 Nations and Regions Group, established to ensure the whole of the UK engages with, and benefits from, the Olympic Games.

The North-West Evening Mail caught up with Great Britain’s most successful medal-winning athlete as he visited The Lakes School and Specialist Sports College at Troutbeck Bridge, near Windermere.

Edwards – who won Olympic gold at the 2000 games in Sydney – led an assembly in a packed-out school hall. Given the excitement in the venue, it’s fair to say ‘Jedwards’ certainly had the X-Factor!

The popular athlete told pupils of his amazing career, took questions, then passed his gold medal into the crowd for youngsters to touch and admire.

Pupils watched footage on the big screen of when Edwards broke the triple jump world record twice within the space of 20 minutes at the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg.

His second leap into the sandpit of 18.29 metres made him the first man ever to go over 60ft. Today – 14 years on – that phenomenal jump still stands as the event’s world record.

Asked if he ever tires of watching footage of himself on that famous day in The Ullevi Stadium, Edwards said: “Never, ever, I love watching it.

“It was such a special moment. I don’t think I realised at the time how special it was.

“Fourteen years on, to still be the world record holder, to have won the world title, to have broken the world record twice in 20 minutes... a day doesn’t go past that I don’t pinch myself.

“It’s nice to be able to tell young people where I started – I think that’s an important message.

“Kids see things on the television and think that’s unattainable. When I tell them I only jumped nine metres at 11 years old, that I didn’t take the sport up seriously till I was 21, that I was on the dole for a time, claiming unemployment benefit... it gives them a journey, a context to what I did.

“Hopefully they then think ‘maybe I can achieve something similar and make the most of the abilities and talents that I’ve got’.

“The Olympics help push forward that message. It gives a demonstration of a set of life skills that are really important.

“You see Olympians who dedicate their lives to being as good as they can be and make the most of the talents and abilities they’ve got. This is the challenge Olympians are Paralympians do, they challenge themselves to achieve these things.

“It makes other people think ‘what are you going to do in your life?’

“Everybody wants to get the best out of life. If you’re going to do that you need to put your best into it.”

Following the assembly, Edwards headed out into the playground to join pupils in a spot of mountain biking over – and even under – obstacles.

He talked to pupils, staff and young sports leaders about the benefits of London 2012 and how it can help encourage more young people into sport.

The 1995 BBC Sports Personality of the Year said: “2012 is coming, there are less than 1,000 days to go, and there are real opportunities for the whole of the UK to get involved.

“I think Cumbria has already risen to that challenge.

“There are a number of businesses that have got contracts, schools, like the Lakes School, which are part of the Get Set network, we’ve got the volunteer programme being launched next year and there’s great opportunities to get involved in that.

“I think in Cumbria, what’s happening here, is the perfect example of the Games not just been for London but for the whole of the UK.

“This school is a great example of getting involved in London 2012.

“They’ve done the Get Set education programme, they’re now part of the Get Set network, which means they’ve been living Olympic and Paralympic values within their school.

“I think the young people here at this school feel part of 2012, there’s an association with it.

“There are other projects too, helping people in Cumbria feel part of the 2012 family.

“Okay, it’s not the men’s 100m final, I don’t think anyone ever anticipated that would be the case, but there are things here that people can get involved in – and will continue to be able to get involved in – in the run up to 2012.”

Edwards – who uses his expert knowledge to commentate on field events for the BBC at major international athletics meets and championships – then observed a gymnastics class before officially opening the school’s brand new multi-use games area.

The first to use it were some young netball aces. The father-of-two joined them in sharpening their passing and shooting skills. Edwards looked at home, no surprise considering he has family living in the county.

“Cumbria feels like a second home to me,” he said.

“I spent lots of time in my childhood here, walking in the fells. And my dad’s last job in the Church of England was near Whitehaven and now they live up in Caldbeck (near Keswick).

“I’m over here quite a lot and it’s great to be here. Obviously it’s a difficult time for everybody in Cumbria because of the flooding, so it’s been good to be here to express my sorrows about what has happened.”

After visiting the Lakes School, Edwards headed to the Low Wood Hotel, where he was a special guest at that night’s Cumbria Sports Awards, in which there were several local winners (see panel, right).

These included Walney’s Dean Kelly – who won a magnificent seven medals at the World Dwarf Games this summer – scooping the Performance Award for People with a Disability and the new Be Inspired Award.

Grand Final and Championship winners Barrow Raiders walked away with the Team of the Year Award.

First published at 12:57, Monday, 30 November 2009
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk