School Olympics engages nearly half of Denmark’s primary schools

In 2009, a few hundred schoolchildren competed in Copenhagen at the first School Olympics in Denmark. The event took place in connection with the IOC Session in the Danish capital, where Rio de Janeiro was awarded the 2016 Olympic Games.

It was originally meant to be a one-off event, but 16 years later, the School Olympics are still going strong and have continued to grow year by year. Today, they stand as a fantastic example of Olympic legacy.

Today NOC Denmark organize the School Olympics across the whole country in collaboration with schools and sports clubs and supported by Olympic Solidarity Funds. This year, the event is breaking all records.

A total of 703 primary schools – corresponding to 42 percent of Danish primary schools – have participated in the School Olympics this year. In total, 67,000 pupils have competed with and against each other at local events, and later this year, the finals will be held in Copenhagen over four days, involving 7,500 pupils.

“We often talk about how the Olympics should inspire our children. Here, we have a concrete example of how that ambition has succeeded. The School Olympics gives children the chance to feel the magic of the Olympics, and it brings community, joy, and physical activity into the school day. I’m incredibly proud to see how the event has evolved over the years,” says Hans Natorp, President of the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark.

Ten diffent sports

At the School Olympics, pupils can compete in ten different sports, including athletics, wrestling, archery, rowing, and volleyball. Children aged 6–9 take part in the School Olympics at their schools through a dedicated online program free to use for their teachers.

Older pupils, aged 10–14, compete in local events, typically organized by sports clubs. The winning classes in this age group advance to a large final competition in Copenhagen.

Henrik Lindahl Strassmann is a teacher at a primary school, and for the eighth time he brought his pupils to the School Olympics this year.

“It’s not about being the best, but about being part of something, daring to take part, testing yourself, and showing courage. That’s exactly the experience we should give pupils in primary school – that sport can be fun, inclusive, and build confidence for much more than just physical activity,” he says.

Participation in the School Olympics is free of charge for Danish schools and pupils, thanks to support for NOC Denmark from School Olympics from the Olympic Solidarity funds and from three Danish philanthropic foundations: Nordea-fonden, TrygFonden, and Ole Kirks Fond.