Crowning our first Olympic champion

As we mark six months to go until the 2012 Games, it couldn’t be more timely to announce the winner of our Olympic themed poetry competition. Last October on National Poetry Day, I urged young Londoners to send in their poems saying what they think is great about the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

We received over 2,000 poems, making the judging process a marathon, rather than a sprint, and I am extremely grateful to our panel of judges Emma Perry (Time Out Kids Editor), Julia Donaldson (Children’s Laureate) and young athlete Stephanie King.

I’m pleased to see such a youthful passion for prose, proof that young Londoners are motivated, focused and imaginative. This is a distinct sign that our future leaders will guarantee a bright future for this great world capital.

However as with all Olympian efforts, there can only be one winner.  I’m therefore delighted to declare that top prize of an exclusive tour of the Olympic Park goes to 15 year old Fope Jegede from Mill Hill for ‘The Champions Story’ which you can read below.

THE CHAMPION’S STORY

She was a little girl with a dream
Watching champions on the TV screen…
The race of their lives, they’d run
The gold medal desired to be won
You Olympians with your glory and might
Did you know you inspired a girl tonight?
She was then a teenager with a dream
Aspiring to be a champion on that TV screen…

Ambition engraved in her heart
From the running tracks she’d never depart
Growing in speed, strength, determination
Until the day she’d represent her nation
You judges who chose her, this day you’ll never rue
Did you know you’ve just made her dreams come true?
She is now a woman who’s living her dream
She’s the champion on the TV screen...

Head high, face glowing in pride
This moment will never leave her side
The honour, respect, and glory
Never thought she’d tell such a story
You in the crowd, amazed at her win
Today is the day your story begins.

BY FOPE JEGEDE, AGED 15

It would of course be churlish of me not to mention the three worthy runners up who were specially commended by our judging panel. Each will receive a certificate plus Poetry Society Youth Membership.

10-11 year old highly commended
London 2012 by Ciaran Powders, 11, from New Malden
12-13 year old highly commended
The Burning Desire by Tatjana Mandil, 12, from Leyton
14-16 year old Highly Commended
Olympic Memories by Jack Lewis, 14, from Hampton Hill