Sir Keith Mills (pictured left with Juan Antonio Samaranch's daughter Maria Teresa Samaranch Salisachs), the deputy chairman of London 2012 and chair of the Internatonal Inspiration Foundation, who manages the scheme, collected the prize.

The international sports legacy programme aims to bring to life the promise made by the London 2012 bid team where they pledged to reach young people all around the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games so they are inspired to choose sport.

The programme claims to have reached more than 12 million children and young people in 20 countries around the world by inspiring and enabling them to participate in high quality and inclusive physical education, sport and play.

"I'm thrilled and very proud to have received this award on behalf of the International Inspiration team," said Sir Keith.

"When we bid for the Games back in 2005, we said we were committed to transforming the lives of children and young people around the world through the power of sport.

"Inspiration is the result of that promise and is helping us leave a lasting legacy, years after the London 2012 Games have finished."


Among the achievements of the programme to date, those that were highlighted included more than 150,000 children in Bangladesh learning survival swimming skills in a country where around 17,000 children drown every year, and using sport to educate more than 1.5 million young people in Zambia about issues such as HIV and AIDS.

Having achieved its target of reaching 12 million children a year ahead of schedule in July 2011, International Inspiration will now focus on ensuring that the initiatives are sustainable and will leave a legacy in all these countries beyond 2012.

The programme is delivered around the world by the British Council, UNICEF UK and UK Sport.

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