The BST 19:20 Project

"On Tuesday the 26th of March we attended the Diversity in Rugby conference held at the Conrad Hotel, Tokyo in our capacity as 19:20 Ambassadors. The experience we had there was unforgettable from start to finish. We were greeted on arrival by Lori Henderson, Executive Director of the BCCJ who was extremely welcoming and kind. Mr Koji Tokumasu, founder and President of Shibuya International Rugby Club said “Rugby helps teach life skills” something that I strongly agree with especially in regards to the discipline it has taught me as a player."  - Jay, Year 10

"I was so happy to have had the opportunity to attend the BCCJ Diversity in Rugby event as a 19:20 Ambassador. Our job as Ambassadors was to act as journalists for the event, taking notes and pictures of the panelists and guests. Keiko Asami, former coach of the Japanese Women’s Rugby Team, talked a bit about gender equality which I thought was really important. More and more women are getting involved in rugby even though many people still see it as a male sport. " - Renee, Year 10

>

"Spending the day with Kamaishi High school students was a very unique experience. Watching an intense game of rugby alongside the Kamaishi High school students, enabled us to share the excitement of the match as well as to socialise with new people. I got to know a little more about the area of Kamaishi from the students, and had an enjoyable time meeting them. I think this shows that sport can create new relationships among people of different backgrounds, and I believe participating in events like today provide everyone with lasting memories" - Ian, Year 12

"It was truly enjoyable to be able to spend time with fellow rugby lovers like the students from Kamaishi High School. It was also heartwarming to see how rugby can bring people together from all over the world and from different backgrounds" - James, Year 12

"One rule I found interesting was the meaning of numbers on the back of the player's wheelchairs. The higher the number, the less the severity of the disability. I found this rule interesting because it is unique and one of the only sports to do this. Furthermore, it gives a whole different dimension and way of thought for coaches to think about." - Yui, Year 10

"Today was really interesting to me, especially seeing the differences between both wheelchair rugby and rugby union which are quite different.Each team is allowed 40 seconds to hold the ball before scoring a ‘try’ or there is a turn over. Each player also only gets around 8 seconds holding the ball until they have to bounce it on the floor or pass. Each try only gets you 1 point whereas a try in rugby union is 5 points. There is also a limit to the amount of points a player can score in one shift. - Renee, Year 10

"It was my first time I had ever seen a wheelchair sport. I was amazed by how everyone was moving so smoothly in their wheelchairs. Today I learnt that the numbers on the back of the wheelchairs indicate the level of each players' impairment, the players with higher numbers had less severe impairments and could move more freely. It was a pleasure to be able to see the game today." - Ria, Year 10 

To make the most of Tristan and Gavin's visit to BST our 19:20 Ambassadors Renee, Kana and Sungyeon (Year 10) prepared a variety of questions to interview our guests. Questions ranged from what it takes for a city to win the bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, to the preparation needed over a period of 7 years leading up to such a huge global event. Tristan, who is the International Communications Manager for the Tokyo Organising Committee, touched on the excitement he felt being a part of the team to win the Tokyo 2020 bid, to then having to hit the ground running immediately afterwards as part of the communications team.

Gavin on the other hand works for NOC and NPC relations and services, which means he is often closely involved with the preparation of the Olympic Village, looking after athletes from the moment they arrive in the host city to the moment they leave and everything in between. He regaled stories from behind the scenes, emphasising that in his role you have to be prepared for everything, including things like burst water pipes at 3:00 am! If you'd like to find out more about what Tristan and Gavin had to say on their Tokyo 2020 preparations, then keep an eye out for our 19:20 Ambassador article coming soon!

"I enjoyed Ms Jones' lecture very much because I’m interested in the field of marketing for large sporting events when I’m older. I also thought it was very helpful to get an insight into what they’re doing to prepare for the Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan." - Tom, Year 12

"It was truly an enjoyable experience to be able to learn about one of the biggest events in the world from an expert like Ms. Jones. I have a deeper insight now on the Rugby World Cup which will help me greatly with my extended project (EPQ) on RWC 2019" - James, Year 12

A fantastic presentation by Deborah Jones, Deputy Director of Workforce Division for the Rugby World Cup Organising Committee 2019 in the Year 12 life skills class today. Deborah talked about what it takes to deliver a major global sporting event, including the pros of hosting a Rugby World Cup in particular. An objective of the Year 12 life skills module is to teach the students how they can apply for and begin actively searching for careers in their chosen field. Deborah touched upon the qualities she looks for when hiring a member of her team, some of the most common mistakes people make in their CVs and interviews and how to make the best impression possible in your first interview.

On Wednesday 12th December the day had finally arrived for our Year 5’s to present their Olympic village projects to teachers, parents and the community, including...two members of the Tokyo Olympic Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games!

Mr Tristan Lavier, International Communications Manager for TOCOG, and Mr Gavin McMahon, NOC & NPC Services & Relations Manager, spent the morning quizzing the students on different aspects of their Olympic Village designs, such as:

• How many athletes could their village accommodate?
• How accessible were transport links to the area they had chosen?
• Did the facilities meet the needs of Para-athletes?
• Were there medical facilities and adequate areas to eat?
• Had they thought about security?

Year 5 had clearly thought long and hard about various aspects of their village designs, with one group debating the pros and cons of an electric fence as a means to deter people from breaking into the Olympic Village!

You may be wondering why Year 5 were asked to choose an alternative location from Chuo Ward in the Tokyo Bay area? This was because Samurai remains were reportedly discovered and so in order to make the strict construction deadlines for the Games, students had just 2 weeks to choose an alternate location, produce a scaled model and include detailed information on their Olympic Village. The location options they had to choose from were Kasumigaoka, Komazawa, Setagaya, Odaiba, Imperial Palace, Kawasaki and Asakusa.

Thank you to Tristan and Gavin for taking time in their busy schedule to attend this event and also to all of Year 5 who worked so hard to produce outstanding projects! Perhaps we have some future Olympic village designers here at BST, we can’t wait to find out!

On Tuesday 4th December, sixteen of our Year 12 and Year 5 students, as well as some of our 19:20 Ambassadors, boarded the BST bus bound for Kawasaki, where Bill Sweeney was presenting. Bill Sweeney, CEO of the British Olympic committee was addressing the residents of Kawasaki on the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and how the success of these Games led them to be the first team in history to improve on their medal haul after a home Games. Our Year 12's will soon be studying the Olympic Values as part of their A-Level courses, and Year 5 were using the experience to learn more about their Olympic Village projects. Mr Sweeney was also kind enough to grant our students a private Q&A session after the lecture, which can be found on our 'Student Articles' page. Here is what our students had to say about meeting Mr Sweeney:

"Hello my name is Lochlan and I am going to tell you about the meeting with the CEO of the GB Olympic team. I was very happy that I got chosen to go to the meeting with other BST students, it is a rare opportunity to attend these type of meetings in person. I thought it was really interesting to listen to him because I got to hear some of the ideas directly and also hear ideas about my home country. He talked about Britain's success in Rio, getting second in the Olympic table for medals and his great relationship with Kawasaki. My question was why do you think that Odiba is a good place for the Olympic village. He said that Odiba is a good place because it's only 15 minutes from the National Stadium and that Odiba citizens were very kind to them and very polite. He seemed very excited about the 2020 games. Thank you for reading." - Lochlan Y5G:

"On Tuesday 4th December, eight Year 5 students and a few Sixth Former's went to a lecture by Bill Sweeney. Being the C.E.O of the British Olympic Committee, Mr Sweeney talked to us about the 2020 Olympics and his experience of Rio 2016 and London 2012. Team GB has a few partnerships around Tokyo so the lecture took place in Kawasaki. Mr Sweeney believes that the 2020 Olympics will have a big impact on Tokyo and will be one of the best yet. Sport is a big thing in life and the saddest thing about the lecture was that Mr Sweeney told us that most girls decide if they want to be an athlete at an age of eight taking a sport career out of their life forever. The number one thing Mr.Sweeney wanted to point out was that the athletes participate in the Olympics for two reasons, to compete with one another at a very high level but most importantly to inspire young athletes and to leave a long lasting legacy on future generations. He believes that Japan will have an amazing amount of people following sports after the olympics; not only does Japan have the Olympics coming up but also the Rugby World Cup is imminent. Research shows that a host country will have a very high increase in children starting to take up sports as they become inspired." - Oscar Y5B:

"Meeting Mr. Sweeney was a pleasure, I was able to learn many things about the upcoming Olympic in 2020 through this experience. One thing that I found the most heartwarming was the amount of effort that was put into this event. I also thought Team GB and the presentation was a great way to advertise the 2020 Olympics and gain support from a variety of people. Taking photographs and videos of Mr. Sweeney hopefully spreads to more people so that way they can find out more about this. The detailed and entertaining presentation I watched on Tuesday has made me more interested in this topic.” - Sungyeon Y10 & 19:20 Ambassador

By Mina, 5B - Thursday 27th November 2018 

"At home, I kept talking to my dad about our amazing 2020 Olympic Project that we are all currently working on. He was interested and said he would be happy to come in and talk to the Year 5 students because he worked on, lendleased, designed, developed and built the 2012 Olympic Village in London.

The day came when my dad ( Andrew Gauci ) talked about some of the key things that are required for a successful Olympic Village, this is what he said. He posed this question: “Can the athletes access the stadium and competition areas easily, securely and safely?”

He explained that the location of the Olympic Village could not be too far from the New National Stadium (where the opening and closing ceremonies will take place, as well as key events) but it can not be right next to it because of costs, congestion and security.

He also talked about how to save money when building the accommodation for the athletes. Initially the Olympic Committee asked his company to make 4,200 rooms in one block but instead they only made 2,818. The reason is that they got rid of all the kitchens which the athletes very rarely use, and made a 4 person room into a 6 person room. He shared with us the importance of cutting costs wherever possible.

The topic of sustainability also came up a lot in his presentation. He explained that the Olympic Village needs to be reused after the event, rather than used as a one off, which is a complete waste of resources. He shared with us the legacy of the 2012 London Olympics and how it helped to serve its community even after the Olympics. This made us think carefully about how we intended to use our buildings afterwards.

With lots of new ideas and suggestions, we were all inspired to work extremely hard on our projects!

On Friday 23rd November, Naoto Tobe travelled all the way from the University of Tsukuba to be interviewed by our Year 12 Japanese students. Naoto, who currently studies bio-mechanics at Ph.D at the University of Tsukuba, is a strong favorite for Tokyo 2020 in the high jump. He recently won the Asian Games with a jump of 2.32 metres, a personal best for Naoto. So it is fair to say that we were extremely fortunate to be able to welcome him to BST. When asked what he thought of our community Naoto stated:

"It is so interesting for me to see what the British School in Tokyo is like as it is so different to the school I went to. The facilities are so modern and students are given so many amazing opportunities".

Our year 12 students did a fantastic job of not only getting to know more about Naoto as an athlete and person, but also interviewing him in Japanese and then putting together an article in English to be shared with the whole school. If you would like to read this interview then please click on the student article box on the 19:20 project homepage.

By Zander, 5B - Monday 19th November 2018 

"On Monday 19th of November, Professor Nagy (also my Dad) came in to talk about his experience in the Winter 1988 and 1992 Paralympic Games. He explained that he competed in Super G, Speed Racing and Giant Slalom, representing his country, Canada.

First he asked the children what the Olympics and Paralympics were about. Someone said that the Olympics were about competing with others and winning. Professor Nagy said that the Olympics were much more than that. It's about bringing the different nations of the world together to make friends, be happy and get one step closer to world peace. Then he asked if anyone was interested in being in the Olympics. Lots of people put their hands up and Professor Nagy asked a few people why the were interested. He explained that to be an Olympic/ Paralympic athlete, you have to sacrifice lots of things and practise really hard to achieve your dreams. You also need to really want it. Furthermore, at times, you need to accept that you can't always win. He said this was one of the hardest things he had to come to terms with.

It was really interesting to hear about the Olympic values as many of us weren't aware of all the fantastic values behind the Olympics that are so relevant to our everyday. I'm glad that he was able to share this message with us." 

By Mr Taaffe, Secondary PE - November 2018 

"This half term our Year 11 students were fortunate enough to be coached by Japan National Handball coach Roland Nemes. Both groups were put through their paces over a number of weeks to improve their knowledge and skills. Many students were completely new to the sport of Handball which will be a sport of great interest at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. During the first few weeks students improved their passing and movement skills whilst getting used to the playing area of Handball. Throughout the following weeks students completed activities designed to develop their attacking and defending skills. Students enjoyed all sessions and developed greatly as the weeks went on. It was fantastic to see fast paced and energetic games in the last week of the sessions."

On Friday 19th October, four of our Year 10 students were given the rare opportunity to meet the GB Rowing Team and GB Archery Team at the British Embassy in Tokyo. The teams were on recon trips to Tokyo in preparation for the 2020 Games. Students were able to talk with the athletes in a relaxed setting, finding out about their nutrition and training schedules, while also participating in mini races on ergometers with other students from Odaiba High School. Alex Elliott, Renee Steiner, Rodan Komiya and Ryan Fenwick were fantastic ambassadors for BST, who asked thought provoking questions to the athletes and gave friendly help to the students from Odaiba when needed. Here is what they had to say about the event:

Alex Elliott:

"I learned so much from the athletes about what it takes to be the best at their sport, their routines, health, teamwork and much more. It was so interesting to see not only male athletes there but many female athletes as well. I didn’t know much about rowing before meeting the team, so it was amazing to learn about the sport and what they do on a daily basis to be selected for Team GB. This opportunity really helped me understand the different ways people get into what they love to do. Some of the athletes didn’t even think about making rowing their career. It made me understand the importance of not giving up on what I want to do in life."

Renee Steiner:

"I really enjoyed the whole event. It wasn’t too formal which meant that we could go up to any of the athletes and ask them questions, we didn’t feel separated from them which was really nice. The idea of having the rowing simulation  on the ergometers was also really nice and interactive, and we were able to compete with everyone, including the athletes. It was interesting to learn more about rowing and archery as a sport, but also a little bi about their daily lives as athletes too. If I ever had the chance, I would definitely go again!

Rodan Komiya:

"I'm so thankful for the amazing experience I had today and I learned that you need to train consistently and be dedicated to become an Olympic athlete. As a keen tennis player, I'd like to meet the Team GB Tennis Team and perhaps invite them to school so that they can give us feedback on our technique. I'd also like to invite wheelchair tennis players to BST to find out more about the sport as we are preparing for the Paralympics in 2020"

Ryan Fenwick:

"I think that this trip was very rewarding and unique in its own distinct way as I've never experienced something like this before. It was interesting and exciting to hear how Olympic athletes live their lives, as well as seeing their personalities as people. I would love to go again!"

Coaches from the University of Tsukuba visited BST for the final session on the long jump. Students were put through their paces, focusing on the run up to gain optimum momentum before the jump. Students were given the valuable opportunity to see these skills demonstrated up close and personal by our very talented coaches!

Students were given the rare opportunity to learn and practice the hammer throw, with visiting coaches from the University of Tsukuba. The coaches focused on teaching students the angle of release, footwork on the turn and body positioning during the swing. This was a first for most, if not all the students who participated, including the PE staff team who also had never thrown the hammer before!

Alex Carnegie-Brown is currently Assistant Coach for England Lacrosse U23 Women's Team, but it was not so long ago that she was a Primary student here at BST! Alex's visit coincided with the England Lacrosse U23 Women's Team visit to Tokyo where they were competing against Japan in a test match at Edogawa Stadium. After touching down at Narita, Alex made her way directly to us (suitcases in hand!) to conduct a Lacrosse training session with Year 5 and participated in a Pupil Voice session, with students asking her questions about Lacrosse as a sport and what it takes to become a world class player.

Students were given a taste of what top-level athletics looks like by visiting coaches from the University of Tsukuba under the IAAF coaching principals. Sessions saw the students using sprint gauges to calculate their 50-meter sprint curve, learning correct technique to improve their sprint speed across all sports.

Koji Tokumasu is responsible for paving the way for Japan to host the Rugby World Cup, having first raised the prospect back in 2003. Koji's journey in rugby has taken him across the globe, spending 2 years in Cardiff learning the details of Welsh rugby coaching methods and financing his stay by working as a cleaner to make ends meet. He went on to coached a high school rugby team in Ibaraki prefecture to become all-Japan champions by using Welsh rugby coaching techniques. Koji then joined the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) before becoming the Head of Asia Rugby and finally a Senior Organising Committee Member of the RWC 2019. He did all this while also founding and coaching the Shibuya International Rugby Club which fosters cross cultural communication and friendship between Japanese and non-Japanese school children through Rugby. Some of our rugby enthusiasts had a sit-down with Koji to discuss all things rugby and Japan.

The entire England Blind Football team, including managers and support staff, jumped on a BST bus to travel across Tokyo to meet some of our students for another of our 19:20 student interviews. Their trip coincided with the IBSA World Grand Prix 2018 in which the team placed 2nd, losing to Argentina on a tense penalty shoot-out. The team spirit and camaraderie of the squad was a joy to witness for both staff and students, and you can see this reflected in their final article write-up.

Some of our keen BST basketball players welcomed to the school Paul Davies (Performance Director) and Tara Smith (Operations Manager) from British Wheelchair Basketball. They were given the opportunity to interview both Paul and Tara on their partnership with Urayasu City, which will host the GB Wheelchair Basketball Team's training and preparation camps in the lead up to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Their trip also coincided with the GB Women's team participation in the annual Osaka Cup 2018. Please click here to read our student's published article.

On Friday, January 12th 2018, gold medalist Paralympian Caz Walton OBE was back in Japan  as a Project Officer of the British Paralympic Association (BPA). As part of the trip, she and BPA gave a talk at the British Embassy in Tokyo on their preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. A group of our keen BST students were given the chance to attend the event with Caz and asked some thought provoking questions on what it takes to be a world-class Paralympic athlete across multiple disciplines, as well as the changes she has witnessed to the Games from 1964 to the present day. As one of the world's most experienced Paralympians, Walton won Britain’s first gold medal in Paralympic track events, as well as a gold medal for swimming, at the 1964 Tokyo Games. On inspection of Caz's 1964 medals, our students were amazed to see that they were still engraved with 'Stoke Mandeville International Games' at that time.

"On Tuesday the 26th of March we attended the Diversity in Rugby conference held at the Conrad Hotel, Tokyo in our capacity as 19:20 Ambassadors. The experience we had there was unforgettable from start to finish. We were greeted on arrival by Lori Henderson, Executive Director of the BCCJ who was extremely welcoming and kind. Mr Koji Tokumasu, founder and President of Shibuya International Rugby Club said “Rugby helps teach life skills” something that I strongly agree with especially in regards to the discipline it has taught me as a player."  - Jay, Year 10

"I was so happy to have had the opportunity to attend the BCCJ Diversity in Rugby event as a 19:20 Ambassador. Our job as Ambassadors was to act as journalists for the event, taking notes and pictures of the panelists and guests. Keiko Asami, former coach of the Japanese Women’s Rugby Team, talked a bit about gender equality which I thought was really important. More and more women are getting involved in rugby even though many people still see it as a male sport. " - Renee, Year 10

>

"Spending the day with Kamaishi High school students was a very unique experience. Watching an intense game of rugby alongside the Kamaishi High school students, enabled us to share the excitement of the match as well as to socialise with new people. I got to know a little more about the area of Kamaishi from the students, and had an enjoyable time meeting them. I think this shows that sport can create new relationships among people of different backgrounds, and I believe participating in events like today provide everyone with lasting memories" - Ian, Year 12

"It was truly enjoyable to be able to spend time with fellow rugby lovers like the students from Kamaishi High School. It was also heartwarming to see how rugby can bring people together from all over the world and from different backgrounds" - James, Year 12

"One rule I found interesting was the meaning of numbers on the back of the player's wheelchairs. The higher the number, the less the severity of the disability. I found this rule interesting because it is unique and one of the only sports to do this. Furthermore, it gives a whole different dimension and way of thought for coaches to think about." - Yui, Year 10

"Today was really interesting to me, especially seeing the differences between both wheelchair rugby and rugby union which are quite different.Each team is allowed 40 seconds to hold the ball before scoring a ‘try’ or there is a turn over. Each player also only gets around 8 seconds holding the ball until they have to bounce it on the floor or pass. Each try only gets you 1 point whereas a try in rugby union is 5 points. There is also a limit to the amount of points a player can score in one shift. - Renee, Year 10

"It was my first time I had ever seen a wheelchair sport. I was amazed by how everyone was moving so smoothly in their wheelchairs. Today I learnt that the numbers on the back of the wheelchairs indicate the level of each players' impairment, the players with higher numbers had less severe impairments and could move more freely. It was a pleasure to be able to see the game today." - Ria, Year 10 

To make the most of Tristan and Gavin's visit to BST our 19:20 Ambassadors Renee, Kana and Sungyeon (Year 10) prepared a variety of questions to interview our guests. Questions ranged from what it takes for a city to win the bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, to the preparation needed over a period of 7 years leading up to such a huge global event. Tristan, who is the International Communications Manager for the Tokyo Organising Committee, touched on the excitement he felt being a part of the team to win the Tokyo 2020 bid, to then having to hit the ground running immediately afterwards as part of the communications team.

Gavin on the other hand works for NOC and NPC relations and services, which means he is often closely involved with the preparation of the Olympic Village, looking after athletes from the moment they arrive in the host city to the moment they leave and everything in between. He regaled stories from behind the scenes, emphasising that in his role you have to be prepared for everything, including things like burst water pipes at 3:00 am! If you'd like to find out more about what Tristan and Gavin had to say on their Tokyo 2020 preparations, then keep an eye out for our 19:20 Ambassador article coming soon!

"I enjoyed Ms Jones' lecture very much because I’m interested in the field of marketing for large sporting events when I’m older. I also thought it was very helpful to get an insight into what they’re doing to prepare for the Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan." - Tom, Year 12

"It was truly an enjoyable experience to be able to learn about one of the biggest events in the world from an expert like Ms. Jones. I have a deeper insight now on the Rugby World Cup which will help me greatly with my extended project (EPQ) on RWC 2019" - James, Year 12

A fantastic presentation by Deborah Jones, Deputy Director of Workforce Division for the Rugby World Cup Organising Committee 2019 in the Year 12 life skills class today. Deborah talked about what it takes to deliver a major global sporting event, including the pros of hosting a Rugby World Cup in particular. An objective of the Year 12 life skills module is to teach the students how they can apply for and begin actively searching for careers in their chosen field. Deborah touched upon the qualities she looks for when hiring a member of her team, some of the most common mistakes people make in their CVs and interviews and how to make the best impression possible in your first interview.

On Wednesday 12th December the day had finally arrived for our Year 5’s to present their Olympic village projects to teachers, parents and the community, including...two members of the Tokyo Olympic Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games!

Mr Tristan Lavier, International Communications Manager for TOCOG, and Mr Gavin McMahon, NOC & NPC Services & Relations Manager, spent the morning quizzing the students on different aspects of their Olympic Village designs, such as:

• How many athletes could their village accommodate?
• How accessible were transport links to the area they had chosen?
• Did the facilities meet the needs of Para-athletes?
• Were there medical facilities and adequate areas to eat?
• Had they thought about security?

Year 5 had clearly thought long and hard about various aspects of their village designs, with one group debating the pros and cons of an electric fence as a means to deter people from breaking into the Olympic Village!

You may be wondering why Year 5 were asked to choose an alternative location from Chuo Ward in the Tokyo Bay area? This was because Samurai remains were reportedly discovered and so in order to make the strict construction deadlines for the Games, students had just 2 weeks to choose an alternate location, produce a scaled model and include detailed information on their Olympic Village. The location options they had to choose from were Kasumigaoka, Komazawa, Setagaya, Odaiba, Imperial Palace, Kawasaki and Asakusa.

Thank you to Tristan and Gavin for taking time in their busy schedule to attend this event and also to all of Year 5 who worked so hard to produce outstanding projects! Perhaps we have some future Olympic village designers here at BST, we can’t wait to find out!

On Tuesday 4th December, sixteen of our Year 12 and Year 5 students, as well as some of our 19:20 Ambassadors, boarded the BST bus bound for Kawasaki, where Bill Sweeney was presenting. Bill Sweeney, CEO of the British Olympic committee was addressing the residents of Kawasaki on the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and how the success of these Games led them to be the first team in history to improve on their medal haul after a home Games. Our Year 12's will soon be studying the Olympic Values as part of their A-Level courses, and Year 5 were using the experience to learn more about their Olympic Village projects. Mr Sweeney was also kind enough to grant our students a private Q&A session after the lecture, which can be found on our 'Student Articles' page. Here is what our students had to say about meeting Mr Sweeney:

"Hello my name is Lochlan and I am going to tell you about the meeting with the CEO of the GB Olympic team. I was very happy that I got chosen to go to the meeting with other BST students, it is a rare opportunity to attend these type of meetings in person. I thought it was really interesting to listen to him because I got to hear some of the ideas directly and also hear ideas about my home country. He talked about Britain's success in Rio, getting second in the Olympic table for medals and his great relationship with Kawasaki. My question was why do you think that Odiba is a good place for the Olympic village. He said that Odiba is a good place because it's only 15 minutes from the National Stadium and that Odiba citizens were very kind to them and very polite. He seemed very excited about the 2020 games. Thank you for reading." - Lochlan Y5G:

"On Tuesday 4th December, eight Year 5 students and a few Sixth Former's went to a lecture by Bill Sweeney. Being the C.E.O of the British Olympic Committee, Mr Sweeney talked to us about the 2020 Olympics and his experience of Rio 2016 and London 2012. Team GB has a few partnerships around Tokyo so the lecture took place in Kawasaki. Mr Sweeney believes that the 2020 Olympics will have a big impact on Tokyo and will be one of the best yet. Sport is a big thing in life and the saddest thing about the lecture was that Mr Sweeney told us that most girls decide if they want to be an athlete at an age of eight taking a sport career out of their life forever. The number one thing Mr.Sweeney wanted to point out was that the athletes participate in the Olympics for two reasons, to compete with one another at a very high level but most importantly to inspire young athletes and to leave a long lasting legacy on future generations. He believes that Japan will have an amazing amount of people following sports after the olympics; not only does Japan have the Olympics coming up but also the Rugby World Cup is imminent. Research shows that a host country will have a very high increase in children starting to take up sports as they become inspired." - Oscar Y5B:

"Meeting Mr. Sweeney was a pleasure, I was able to learn many things about the upcoming Olympic in 2020 through this experience. One thing that I found the most heartwarming was the amount of effort that was put into this event. I also thought Team GB and the presentation was a great way to advertise the 2020 Olympics and gain support from a variety of people. Taking photographs and videos of Mr. Sweeney hopefully spreads to more people so that way they can find out more about this. The detailed and entertaining presentation I watched on Tuesday has made me more interested in this topic.” - Sungyeon Y10 & 19:20 Ambassador

By Mina, 5B - Thursday 27th November 2018 

"At home, I kept talking to my dad about our amazing 2020 Olympic Project that we are all currently working on. He was interested and said he would be happy to come in and talk to the Year 5 students because he worked on, lendleased, designed, developed and built the 2012 Olympic Village in London.

The day came when my dad ( Andrew Gauci ) talked about some of the key things that are required for a successful Olympic Village, this is what he said. He posed this question: “Can the athletes access the stadium and competition areas easily, securely and safely?”

He explained that the location of the Olympic Village could not be too far from the New National Stadium (where the opening and closing ceremonies will take place, as well as key events) but it can not be right next to it because of costs, congestion and security.

He also talked about how to save money when building the accommodation for the athletes. Initially the Olympic Committee asked his company to make 4,200 rooms in one block but instead they only made 2,818. The reason is that they got rid of all the kitchens which the athletes very rarely use, and made a 4 person room into a 6 person room. He shared with us the importance of cutting costs wherever possible.

The topic of sustainability also came up a lot in his presentation. He explained that the Olympic Village needs to be reused after the event, rather than used as a one off, which is a complete waste of resources. He shared with us the legacy of the 2012 London Olympics and how it helped to serve its community even after the Olympics. This made us think carefully about how we intended to use our buildings afterwards.

With lots of new ideas and suggestions, we were all inspired to work extremely hard on our projects!

On Friday 23rd November, Naoto Tobe travelled all the way from the University of Tsukuba to be interviewed by our Year 12 Japanese students. Naoto, who currently studies bio-mechanics at Ph.D at the University of Tsukuba, is a strong favorite for Tokyo 2020 in the high jump. He recently won the Asian Games with a jump of 2.32 metres, a personal best for Naoto. So it is fair to say that we were extremely fortunate to be able to welcome him to BST. When asked what he thought of our community Naoto stated:

"It is so interesting for me to see what the British School in Tokyo is like as it is so different to the school I went to. The facilities are so modern and students are given so many amazing opportunities".

Our year 12 students did a fantastic job of not only getting to know more about Naoto as an athlete and person, but also interviewing him in Japanese and then putting together an article in English to be shared with the whole school. If you would like to read this interview then please click on the student article box on the 19:20 project homepage.

By Zander, 5B - Monday 19th November 2018 

"On Monday 19th of November, Professor Nagy (also my Dad) came in to talk about his experience in the Winter 1988 and 1992 Paralympic Games. He explained that he competed in Super G, Speed Racing and Giant Slalom, representing his country, Canada.

First he asked the children what the Olympics and Paralympics were about. Someone said that the Olympics were about competing with others and winning. Professor Nagy said that the Olympics were much more than that. It's about bringing the different nations of the world together to make friends, be happy and get one step closer to world peace. Then he asked if anyone was interested in being in the Olympics. Lots of people put their hands up and Professor Nagy asked a few people why the were interested. He explained that to be an Olympic/ Paralympic athlete, you have to sacrifice lots of things and practise really hard to achieve your dreams. You also need to really want it. Furthermore, at times, you need to accept that you can't always win. He said this was one of the hardest things he had to come to terms with.

It was really interesting to hear about the Olympic values as many of us weren't aware of all the fantastic values behind the Olympics that are so relevant to our everyday. I'm glad that he was able to share this message with us." 

By Mr Taaffe, Secondary PE - November 2018 

"This half term our Year 11 students were fortunate enough to be coached by Japan National Handball coach Roland Nemes. Both groups were put through their paces over a number of weeks to improve their knowledge and skills. Many students were completely new to the sport of Handball which will be a sport of great interest at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. During the first few weeks students improved their passing and movement skills whilst getting used to the playing area of Handball. Throughout the following weeks students completed activities designed to develop their attacking and defending skills. Students enjoyed all sessions and developed greatly as the weeks went on. It was fantastic to see fast paced and energetic games in the last week of the sessions."

On Friday 19th October, four of our Year 10 students were given the rare opportunity to meet the GB Rowing Team and GB Archery Team at the British Embassy in Tokyo. The teams were on recon trips to Tokyo in preparation for the 2020 Games. Students were able to talk with the athletes in a relaxed setting, finding out about their nutrition and training schedules, while also participating in mini races on ergometers with other students from Odaiba High School. Alex Elliott, Renee Steiner, Rodan Komiya and Ryan Fenwick were fantastic ambassadors for BST, who asked thought provoking questions to the athletes and gave friendly help to the students from Odaiba when needed. Here is what they had to say about the event:

Alex Elliott:

"I learned so much from the athletes about what it takes to be the best at their sport, their routines, health, teamwork and much more. It was so interesting to see not only male athletes there but many female athletes as well. I didn’t know much about rowing before meeting the team, so it was amazing to learn about the sport and what they do on a daily basis to be selected for Team GB. This opportunity really helped me understand the different ways people get into what they love to do. Some of the athletes didn’t even think about making rowing their career. It made me understand the importance of not giving up on what I want to do in life."

Renee Steiner:

"I really enjoyed the whole event. It wasn’t too formal which meant that we could go up to any of the athletes and ask them questions, we didn’t feel separated from them which was really nice. The idea of having the rowing simulation  on the ergometers was also really nice and interactive, and we were able to compete with everyone, including the athletes. It was interesting to learn more about rowing and archery as a sport, but also a little bi about their daily lives as athletes too. If I ever had the chance, I would definitely go again!

Rodan Komiya:

"I'm so thankful for the amazing experience I had today and I learned that you need to train consistently and be dedicated to become an Olympic athlete. As a keen tennis player, I'd like to meet the Team GB Tennis Team and perhaps invite them to school so that they can give us feedback on our technique. I'd also like to invite wheelchair tennis players to BST to find out more about the sport as we are preparing for the Paralympics in 2020"

Ryan Fenwick:

"I think that this trip was very rewarding and unique in its own distinct way as I've never experienced something like this before. It was interesting and exciting to hear how Olympic athletes live their lives, as well as seeing their personalities as people. I would love to go again!"

Coaches from the University of Tsukuba visited BST for the final session on the long jump. Students were put through their paces, focusing on the run up to gain optimum momentum before the jump. Students were given the valuable opportunity to see these skills demonstrated up close and personal by our very talented coaches!

Students were given the rare opportunity to learn and practice the hammer throw, with visiting coaches from the University of Tsukuba. The coaches focused on teaching students the angle of release, footwork on the turn and body positioning during the swing. This was a first for most, if not all the students who participated, including the PE staff team who also had never thrown the hammer before!

Alex Carnegie-Brown is currently Assistant Coach for England Lacrosse U23 Women's Team, but it was not so long ago that she was a Primary student here at BST! Alex's visit coincided with the England Lacrosse U23 Women's Team visit to Tokyo where they were competing against Japan in a test match at Edogawa Stadium. After touching down at Narita, Alex made her way directly to us (suitcases in hand!) to conduct a Lacrosse training session with Year 5 and participated in a Pupil Voice session, with students asking her questions about Lacrosse as a sport and what it takes to become a world class player.

Students were given a taste of what top-level athletics looks like by visiting coaches from the University of Tsukuba under the IAAF coaching principals. Sessions saw the students using sprint gauges to calculate their 50-meter sprint curve, learning correct technique to improve their sprint speed across all sports.

Koji Tokumasu is responsible for paving the way for Japan to host the Rugby World Cup, having first raised the prospect back in 2003. Koji's journey in rugby has taken him across the globe, spending 2 years in Cardiff learning the details of Welsh rugby coaching methods and financing his stay by working as a cleaner to make ends meet. He went on to coached a high school rugby team in Ibaraki prefecture to become all-Japan champions by using Welsh rugby coaching techniques. Koji then joined the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) before becoming the Head of Asia Rugby and finally a Senior Organising Committee Member of the RWC 2019. He did all this while also founding and coaching the Shibuya International Rugby Club which fosters cross cultural communication and friendship between Japanese and non-Japanese school children through Rugby. Some of our rugby enthusiasts had a sit-down with Koji to discuss all things rugby and Japan.

The entire England Blind Football team, including managers and support staff, jumped on a BST bus to travel across Tokyo to meet some of our students for another of our 19:20 student interviews. Their trip coincided with the IBSA World Grand Prix 2018 in which the team placed 2nd, losing to Argentina on a tense penalty shoot-out. The team spirit and camaraderie of the squad was a joy to witness for both staff and students, and you can see this reflected in their final article write-up.

Some of our keen BST basketball players welcomed to the school Paul Davies (Performance Director) and Tara Smith (Operations Manager) from British Wheelchair Basketball. They were given the opportunity to interview both Paul and Tara on their partnership with Urayasu City, which will host the GB Wheelchair Basketball Team's training and preparation camps in the lead up to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Their trip also coincided with the GB Women's team participation in the annual Osaka Cup 2018. Please click here to read our student's published article.

On Friday, January 12th 2018, gold medalist Paralympian Caz Walton OBE was back in Japan  as a Project Officer of the British Paralympic Association (BPA). As part of the trip, she and BPA gave a talk at the British Embassy in Tokyo on their preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. A group of our keen BST students were given the chance to attend the event with Caz and asked some thought provoking questions on what it takes to be a world-class Paralympic athlete across multiple disciplines, as well as the changes she has witnessed to the Games from 1964 to the present day. As one of the world's most experienced Paralympians, Walton won Britain’s first gold medal in Paralympic track events, as well as a gold medal for swimming, at the 1964 Tokyo Games. On inspection of Caz's 1964 medals, our students were amazed to see that they were still engraved with 'Stoke Mandeville International Games' at that time.