British youngsters are looking to follow in the footsteps of the Olympic greats at the Mini London Marathon on Sunday.
Jamie Elliott
The Virgin Money Giving Mini London Marathon sets off on Sunday April 21 when thousands of young athletes will run for charity.
The event is one of the biggest and most prestigious athletics events for British youngsters looking to get involved in professional sports.
“Many see it as a vital stepping stone to an international career and for the athlete to one day emulate the senior marathon runner,” said Caroline Bird, South East England team manager.
Kingston enter the fray
The endurance race will be held on the morning of the main London marathon and will consist of a series of races for over ,2000 athletes aged 11 to 17.
Kingston will also be entering the race this year with the 2013 team under the management of Phil Davies from the Stragglers Running Club after success in the 2012 races.
Footsteps of greatness
Over the years the running race has featured several former Olympic champions such as Mo Farah, Alistair Brownlee and Paralympics champion David Weir.
Farah won the London Mini Marathon four times from 1997 to 2002 running for the borough of Hounslow, proving the history and importance of this race for up and coming athletes.
Scenic route
The course is three miles long and will follow the final three miles of the main marathon race from London’s Old Billingsgate, finishing under the main London Marathon gantry at The Mall.
The young runners will be passing along the Victoria Embankment through Parliament Square and down Birdcage Walk, and then past Buckingham Palace in a scenic route.
The event is open to entrants from the nine regions of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and will include teams from all 33 London boroughs, with the top finishers from the London boroughs able to score points for a ‘united London team’ in the regional competition.
For more information on the event, see minimarathon.co.uk.
Amelia Jones 
Hermione Marszalek