Douglas believes role models important to inspire children

South Wales Argus

24-06-2025

Douglas, who now stars on BBC's Gladiators as 'Fire', met students who had dressed up as in Gladiator t-shirts to emulate their hero at Torriano Primary School on Friday.
It formed part of the Youth Sport Trust's initiative to get children to meet their recommended 60 active minutes a day and create inspiration through role models, something Douglas believes can be transformative.
'Role model are the primary source of people's vicarious experience,' she said.
'Someone might look, speak, feel, dress like them. It's just really great for representation to be able to see.
'When you have someone you can look up to it gives you the spark to think maybe I can and that is enough.
'Trying and failing is fine, it's not trying that we don't want to happen, and role models really bring that home and encourage trying.'
Douglas who was a 100m British record holder and competed in bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics has since appeared in Strictly Come Dancing as well as the Gladiators reboot.
She was on hand to provide inspiration for the pupils in Camden, alongside England rugby international Shaunagh Brown and Paralympic footballer Alistair Patrick-Heselton as the children also came dressed as a range of sporting icons.
'The whole aim of this day is to allow children to dress up as whoever their hero is in sport. It allows young people to think about their role models in sport, who are these great people that they can follow?' explained Youth Sport Trust CEO Ali Oliver OBE.
'A key part of Sports Star Friday is researching the journey of some of these athletes.
'It helps young people realise that they don't grow up and just have some super gene that allows them to be extraordinary. They're actually people just like them with goals, with ambitions and that's really important.
'So, imagine World Book Day, Sports Star Friday is just like that but with sport.'
It forms part of the Youth Sport Trust's wider campaign to get more children active, with less than half of children currently hitting the Chief Medical Officer's recommendation of 60 active minutes a day, a minimum for normal growth and development.
At Torriano Primary School, Douglas and her elite sporting peers were privy to best practice in getting children active throughout the school day with pupils participating in a self-led carousel of sports ranging from archery to gymnastics.
'It's so essential for children to be active,' added Oliver.
'There are 2.5 million children who do less than 30 minutes of activity a day. That will impact their health, how they feel, how they connect to their body, how they socialise with people and therefore how their brains develop.
'If we want children to thrive in life, we need physical activity.'
National School Sports Week is an annual campaign by the Youth Sport Trust, dedicated to celebrating the power of PE, sport, and play to build brighter futures. This year, powered by Sports Direct x Under Armour, marks the 30th anniversary of the Youth Sport Trust, who is a UK leading children's charity for improving young people's wellbeing through sport and play. Visit www.youthsporttrust.org