More than 400 staff and students from Risedale Sports and Community College travelled to Richmond to watch retired former head of PE John Hacking carry the Olympic torch en route to this summer’s 2012 London Games.

Nominated by teaching staff and students past and present John, who spearheaded the importance of sport at Risedale for over 35 years, ran the final leg of the flame’s journey, through the North Yorkshire market town.

 

Risedale Sports and Community College associate principal John Kelly said: “This is a very special occasion for Risedale and we brought the entire school along to cheer Mr Hacking along on his run.

 

“Being an Olympic torch bearer is a great honour and I can think of no one who deserves it more than he does.

 

“He has done an awful lot to encourage students to become involved in sport both in and out of college, mornings, evenings, nights, holidays and even weekends and although he is an extremely humble man by nature I am sure that he is thrilled to be part of such an historic occasion.”

 

Passing thousands of flag waving revellers Mr Hacking, one of 8,000 inspirational people chosen to carry the torch, finished his stretch of the relay at Richmond School where he was met by chairman of the London Olympic Games Committee Lord Sebastian Coe.