McDonald’s Champions of Play Contest: Win a Trip to London 2012 Olympics!

Plugging this for McDonald’s Singapore as I find this a really meaningful and fun international event for young Singaporeans to participate in.

If Asher falls in the required age range of 6 to 12 years old, I would definitely had registered him as winning this will broaden a kid’s horizon to the bigger world out there, beyond the shores of tiny Singapore.

If you have children in your family – nephews, nieces or cousins or know someone who does, McDonald’s have some exciting news for you!

McDonald’s is on the lookout for three Champions of Play between ages six and 12 years in Singapore to join 200 other children from all over the world in London for the London 2012 Olympics. Under the McDonald’s Champions of Play global programme, these children will live their Olympic dreams in London by experiencing the Games and meeting their favourite athletes in person.

Who can be a Champion of Play?

All kids love to play. It sets their bodies in motion, inspires creative minds and stirs their souls. It makes them happy and also brings joy to their families and friends. Just like the Olympics, play is also about teamwork, excellence and doing it with pride. A Champion of Play carries all these qualities and plays to the max!

How to take part?

To find out more details or to register, McDonald’s Champions of Play hopefuls can visit www.championsofplay.com.sg where they would need to submit either a photo or video of themselves playing their favourite game or sport; accompanied by a write-up, in 100 words or less, on why they are a Champion of Play. This is open to Singaporeans and Permanent Residents only.

Registration closes on 13 April 2012 – don’t miss the deadline!

A panel of judges comprising representatives from McDonald’s, MediaCorp, Singapore National Olympic Committee (SNOC) and Singapore Press Holdings will select 10 finalists from the entries. These finalists will then be profiled on TV and print media from April 20 to May 11, and three winners will be selected by a combination of SMS votes from the public and votes from the judges.

The three McDonald’s Champions of Play winners will receive a two-day journalism and blogging training session by the Singapore Press Holdings Media Club to prepare them for sharing their Olympic experiences, prior and during the event, with the rest of Singapore.

Fun, Culture, History and Inspiration in London

The three McDonald’s Champions of Play will be amongst the first wave of children from around the world to arrive in London. They will spend four days in London from 27 July. They will witness the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games and get premium category access to watch an Olympic swimming, basketball and athletics event.  Highlights of the trip include “backstage passes” as they visit the Athletes’ Village to meet athletes and get autographs or attend the Gold Medal Ceremony at National Olympic Committee House with Olympic Champions.

They will also be brought on the Double Decker Bus Tour to enjoy the London culture, where they will visit the London Eye and Tower Bridge as well as watch the Changing of the Guard.

Each child will be accompanied by his or her parent or guardian whose expenses will also be fully paid for.

Help us spread the word to the little ones you know, your friends and relatives and they could be on the way to experience the Olympic moment in person!

Bringing young ‘Champions’ to the Olympics for the second time

This is the second time McDonald’s is offering children this chance-of-a-lifetime experience at the Olympic Games. During the Beijing 2008 Olympics, the McDonald’s Champion Kids programme was held worldwide and more than 300 children from around the world were brought to the Games. These Champion Kids had the great  chance to playthe role of young journalists, reporting back to their home countries from Beijing on their personal experiences at the Games.

“Undoubtedly, the McDonald’s Champion Kids journey was an experience of a lifetime. The takeaways were countless, the people I’ve had the pleasure to meet are irreplaceable, and most importantly, I walked away with a renewed sense of self-confidence. I strongly urge all of you to stoke the fire within you and ignite your flame – you never know what you can do until you’ve tried it.,” shared Codee Ong, now 14 years old and studying at Raffles Girls’ Secondary, one of the three winners of the 2008 McDonald’s Champion Kids programme in Singapore.

 McDonald’s Olympic Partnership

McDonald’s became an Official Sponsor of the Olympic Games in 1976 and has a long-standing commitment to the Olympic Movement.  At the 1968 Olympic Winter Games, McDonald’s airlifted hamburgers to U.S. athletes competing in Grenoble, France, after they reported being homesick for McDonald’s food.  Since then, the company has served its menu of choice and variety to millions of athletes, coaches, their families and fans.  The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games marked McDonald’s sixth Olympic Games as a Worldwide Partner and seventh as the Official Restaurant of the Olympic Games. McDonald’s current sponsorship will continue through till 2020.