Athletes inspire the world for Olympic Day on 23 June

Athletes are getting involved, not just on the Day itself on 23 June, but throughout the month. A month in which to get or remain active! Rio 2016 Games star Simone Biles fully agrees: “At the Olympics, I did this”, the American gymnast declares in a video she has posted of her achievements in the vault, beam and floor exercises. “Hopefully it inspires you to get active for #OlympicDay on June 23rd. What are you going to do?” Her team-mate Laurie Hernandez, who won gold in the team all-around competition, has also posted some impressive images, and writes: “Hey! I hope this video inspires you to get active”.

For his part, Britain’s Rio 2016 Olympic golf champion, Justin Rose, offers another look at his hole-in-one on the first day of the competition and his final victory, exhorting everyone to “get active during the entire month of June”.

Germany’s three-time Olympic luge champion Felix Loch enjoys guiding a young athlete on a luge on wheels over a sports field. “Slide with Olympic champion Felix Loch on 23 June!” announces the International Luge Federation.

Women’s Alpine skiing World Cup record-holder Lindsey Vonn, the Olympic downhill champion in 2010, has seen her career blighted by injury. But here she can be seen in a gym, lifting weights, strengthening her muscles and training on an exercise bike. “I will never give up” she says, encouraging the public to take part in Olympic Day whilst counting down the day to the Games in PyeongChang in 2018. “I will be ready”

Meanwhile, her fellow US Olympian, Allison Baver, who won bronze in the 3,000m speed skating relay in Vancouver in 2010, said “To get you in the Olympic Spirit flash back to one of my favorite races!”

Whatever the weather – get active!

In many countries, all kinds of sports activities are already being organised during this Olympic month.  On 4 June, the Malmö Sports Club in Sweden, for example, organised a day of sports activities for children in the presence of Olympians such as European boxing champion Anna Laurell Nash, who writes: “A bit of rain didn't stop the kids from trying sports and we were ready 👊 Thanks to all brave parents who took their kids out even if it was raining today”.

In Colorado, on the Dacono BMX track, a free “Olympic Day” of BMX racing open to everyone was held on 3 June in the presence of Olympians at pains to introduce the largest possible number of youngsters to the sport. “Awesome Olympic day race” local champion Darian Toureene wrote on Instagram.

23 June is the day on which the Olympic Movement was founded at the initiative of Pierre de Coubertin, at Sorbonne University in Paris in 1894. Today, at the start of the summer, it is the chance to celebrate sport for all in all its dimensions, all over the world. International and national federations, National Olympic Committees and their decentralised structures, sports associations and clubs, and their athletes all bend over backwards to organise all kinds of activities, competitions and new opportunities for everyone.