A sports teacher at One sixth form in Ipswich is taking his love of sports to London where he will be rubbing shoulders with the world’s top athletes as a volunteer for the World Athletics Championship.
David Baynes-Robinson, put his name forward as a field of play volunteer after being inspired by the efforts of volunteers at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Now, with the Olympic Stadium welcoming the return of the globe’s top athletes for the World Championships, Mr Baynes-Robinson will get the chance to step into the shoes of those he saw in 2012.
He said: “I had an experience as a spectator at 2012 and London 2017 is the athletics legacy of the Olympics.
“I’ve been lucky enough to experience a number of sports down at pitch level and it’s amazing to see what goes on.
“To be able to witness how fast people are running, how high they can jump and how far they can throw up close will be amazing.
“It just seems like an excellent opportunity – I mean when is the next time that something like this will happen in our country?”
His role will include helping set up and dismantle equipment such as nets and hurdles, as well as helping ensure the various events run smoothly.
“My role is to ensure the crowd get to enjoy the experience and the athletes get what they need so that they can perform,” he added.
“I’m also hoping to learn more about elite level performance and routes into sports careers that can help aid my teaching of sports students in the future.”
The World Championships attract the biggest names in athletics such as Mo Farah, Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Usain Bolt among others.
The dedicated sports tutor is also hoping he may get to have a brief chat with one or two of the stars throughout the course of his volunteering.
“It will be cool to see them in real life,” he said.
“I know he [Usain Bolt] is a big football fan, so I’d jokingly say, do you fancy having a trial for Ipswich Town as we have been short of good wingers over the years.
“If not, I’d ask him how he keeps so cool and relaxed in such a pressurised situation.”
Mr Baynes-Robinson heads to the games tomorrow, and will volunteer throughout the competition.
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