New Year Honours for Olympians
Olympic and paralympic gold medalists are among those given awards in the New Year's Honours' List.
New Year Honours announced
The 2013 New Year Honours list has been announced, including many from the North East and North Yorkshire.
Sporting year in review 2012
There is much to remember and because of that, so much that no doubt will be forgotten about the unique and game changing sporting year.
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Aerobics event to boost fitness and continue Olympic legacy
People of all ages are being invited to flex their muscles at an aerobathon in Sunderland as part of a series of events to boost fitness and build on the legacy of the London Olympics.
A programme of events is being delivered by Sunderland City Council's Sport and Leisure department.
The first of these, the BIG Aerobathon, takes place on February 20 at Silksworth Community Pool, Tennis and Wellness Centre in the city, with workouts for families, children and young people.
The main session for anyone aged over 14 will take place from 6pm to 9pm and includes five 30-minute workouts - aerobics, Zumba, hula fitness, dance aerobics and pilates/stretch - with experienced fitness instructors.
Participants can take part in as many as they want for £6.
– Councillor John Kelly"Building on the successes of the Sunderland in 2012 programme, this event promises to be bigger and better.
It aims to attract people of all ages and abilities to take part in fun physical activity that will inspire them to continue to exercise on a regular basis."
"I started swimming to get more out of life"
Josef Craig, the Paralympic Champion and Young Sports Personality of the Year, has been in Jarrow today to unveil the newly-built Jarrow Community Pool.
He says that the pool will suit all abilities.
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Jarrow Pool opened by Paralympic Champion
Teenage swimming star Josef Craig has officially opened the new Jarrow Community Pool today.
The new 4 million pound facility, which is attached to Jarrow School, was unveiled by the Paralympic champion at a ceremony this morning.
Josef Craig was then first to take a dip in the million pound pool.
The 15-year-old, who is originally from the North East, was recently honoured with an MBE and the Young Sports Personality of the Year award.
New Year Honours for Olympians
by Derek Proud
Olympic and paralympic gold medalists are among those given awards in the New Year's Honours' List.
Read the full storyParalympic hero "honoured" by MBE award
Paralympic gold medallist Josef Craig has described 2012 as "the best year of my life".
The 15-year-old swimmer, from South Shields, is among those recognised in the New Year Honours list. He has been awarded an MBE for services to Paralympic Sport.
He said: "I'm really proud of everything that's happened and I feel really honoured that I've been part of such a big part of the year.
"An MBE is one of the greatest honours a person can be bestowed on them. For me to be even considered to have one, I feel utterly privileged and honoured."
Craig hit the headlines in the summer when he won Paralympic gold and broke the world record in the Men's 400 freestyle event at London 2012.
New Year Honours announced
The 2013 New Year Honours list has been announced, including many from the North East and North Yorkshire.
Read the full storyAdvertisement
Sporting year in review 2012
There is much to remember and because of that, so much that no doubt will be forgotten about the unique and game changing sporting year.
Read the full storyJudo club wins funding for Olympic demand
A fledgling judo club in County Durham has been given a cash grant to help it cope with an increase in demand following the Olympics.
Ouston Judo Club saw its membership jump from just six youngsters before London 2012, to 21 during August when the Games were held.
In September, a further eight young people from the village came forward wanting to join.
Now the club has received £700 from Cestria Community Housing, via the County Durham Community Foundation, to pay for 70 new judo mats.
– Steve Makin, director of Judo at British Busen Judo Martial Arts Academy"The Olympics had a hugely positive impact on sport in the UK, inspiring youngsters across the country to get fit and get active.
We witnessed the Olympic effect first hand with a massive spike in demand within weeks of the Games.
At first we found it difficult to cope with the increased numbers.
Now with this grant from Cestria we have been able to buy enough mats for everyone who wants to come along and give judo a try.
There's a real lack of things to do for young people in the village, so the club offers a fantastic outlet for them."
The mats will help the club provide sporting opportunities for more young people in the village, which has suffered from problems including unemployment and youth crime.
Cestria made the donation through County Durham Community Foundation which brings together donors and good causes in the county.
– Christine Scott, Cestria's head of corporate services"Ouston Judo Club is an impressive organisation which is doing great work in the village to help provide a positive and healthy activity for young people to participate in.
The increase in the number of young people wanting to join since the Olympics is really encouraging and we hope this grant will go some way to helping the club cope."
Local legacy for 2012 Olympics
The Half Marathon of the North will be part of a running festival in the city in April next year.
The World Champion athlete, and former world record holder, Steve Cram says the circuit is designed to build on the Olympic legacy.
New event for North East sporting calendar
The World Champion athlete Steve Cram, and London 2012 Paralympic Games gold medalist
Richard Whitehead, have been in Sunderland launching the Half Marathon of the North.
The Half Marathon is a new event for the North East sporting calendar and will be part of a major festival of running in Sunderland next year, alongside the Marathon of the North and the sunderland City 10k.
Richard Whitehead, one of the stars of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, set a new world record with his victory in the T42 200 metre final.
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