Kate Middleton visited the London Stadium at the Olympic Park in Stratford on Wednesday to join a SportsAid event dedicated to celebrating the role that parents and guardians play in their child’s sporting success with sport stars in attendance like; heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill, swimmer Rebecca Adlington and taekwondo athlete Lutalo Muhammad.
Kate became Patron of the SportsAid in 2013,after serving as an ambassador for the London 2012 Olympics. SportsAid helps young British sportsmen and women aspiring to be the country’s next Olympic, Paralympic, Commonwealth and World Champions. The charity supports over 1,000 athletes each year, the vast majority aged 12 to 18, by helping financially towards training and competition costs.
The Royal got commendation for her sporting abilities from Jessica Ennis-Hill: “I think she did really, really well. I felt really nervous. I hadn’t been in a pair of blocks for years.” The Olympic star, who retired in 2016, added that coming to the event had made her realise how big a sacrifice her parents made for her. “I have a lot of respect for what my parents did for me, how they nurtured me,” she said. “They provided everything I needed but had very little.”
In her speech, Kate said:
“For all of you here, you go, and have gone, above and beyond the call of duty; you’ve committed your time and devotion to nurturing your children’s exceptional talents. And as a parent, I have a huge admiration for you and I know just how complex and time-consuming your role is.“You are simultaneously the transport and logistics managers, nutritionists, laundry service, psychologists, financiers, and crucially, the ones that provide love, support and encouragement when things are tough.“You may not always feel appreciated, or sometimes even noticed on the sidelines, in the car park or sitting high in the stands. But I am so proud that SportsAid recognises how key your role is and that they understand the challenges and worries you face.”
The event for the day included field and track activities and it saw Kate being shown Taekwondo moves by Great Britain’s Lutalo Muhammad during the event.
Kate dresses the part in a green ribbed top from Mango, culottes from Zara, Balzer from Smythe, lace-up trainers from Marks & Spencer and jewelries from Monica Vinader and Daniela Draper.
More photos below
