Rising Great Britain table tennis stars Paul Drinkhall and Jack Hunter-Spivey joined local schoolchildren in Sheffield to celebrate the city’s hosting of the 2011 Sainsbury’s UK School Games. The pair, who are both former Sainsbury’s UK School Games competitors, hosted a table tennis masterclass at the English Institute of Sport, Sheffield, and recognised how the Games played a big part in their own development.

Drinkhall, who won two gold medals and two silver medals at the English National Championships held last month, said: “The Sainsbury’s UK School Games is a great experience for talented young athletes as it provides a unique multi-sport event on a national scale. I liked meeting and interacting with athletes from the different sports.”

Hunter-Spivey has recently won a place in the prestigious British Table Tennis Disabled World Class Performance Squad 2011. He said: “I think the Sainsbury’s UK School Games is a great opportunity to showcase the talents of young up-and-coming British athletes. The spirit of the Games, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and the Athletes’ Village are all amazing and something different for the competitors to experience.”

Over 1,600 elite school aged athletes will compete across 12 sports including disability events in four sports from the 1st – 4th September 2011 as part of the Sainsbury’s UK School Games. The multi-sport event is delivered by the Youth Sport Trust and designed to replicate a major championships with Opening and Closing Ceremonies and an Athletes’ Village.

The UK School Games has been funded since 2008 with a £6million grant from Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to help build a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Through additional funding provided this year by Sport England, two new sports - wheelchair basketball and women’s rugby sevens - will be included in the 2011 Sainsbury’s UK School Games. The programme now includes cycling, athletics, badminton, fencing, gymnastics, hockey, judo, swimming, table tennis and volleyball with disability events in swimming, athletics and table tennis.

Director of Sport at the Youth Sport Trust, Ali Oliver, said: “The Sainsbury’s UK School Games have grown year-on-year, with more sports, more spectators and more competitors helping to make it an incredible experience for everyone involved, not just the UK’s most talented young athletes taking part. This year’s 2011 Games in Sheffield promise to be the biggest and most exciting yet and what better city to host four days of inspirational sport.”

Sheffield City Council's Lord Mayor, Councillor Alan Law JP, said: "Sheffield is a great sporting city, and we're delighted to be hosting the Sainsbury’s UK Schools Games here in September. The competitors at these Games are the Olympic hopefuls of tomorrow, and it's fantastic that so many talented young sportspeople will be coming to use our outstanding elite facilities here in Sheffield."

Alan Ormrod, Sainsbury’s Regional Operational Manager said: “Sainsbury’s is proud to be sponsoring the UK School Games for the second year running, and keen to repeat the success of last year. As an organisation we have always been committed to promoting a healthier, active lifestyle for all, regardless of age or ability.”

Moira Swinbank, Chief Executive of Legacy Trust UK, said: “This is our fourth year of funding the UK School Games and we are delighted that the Games have grown from strength to strength, enabling talented young people from across the UK to participate in this unique sporting event. “Our funding will create a lasting legacy from London 2012, and the Sainsbury’s UK School Games have demonstrated the huge potential for school sports in nurturing future Olympic athletes.”

Some of the best venues in the City will host the sports including the English Institute for Sport, Ponds Forge, Don Valley, Ice Sheffield and the Motorpoint Arena.