As an Island sprinter hits the track Tuesday some Cornwall kids will be doing the same as their daycare holds their own mini-Olympics and Jared Connaughton Day in his honour.
Denise Villard, supervisor for the Garderie Educative Cornwall Child Education Centre, said the daycare wanted to show its support, since Connaughton is from the area.
"I myself love to watch the Olympics so I wanted to make sure the kids were having an idea of what was going on," she said.
Connaughton is slated to run at 8:38 a.m. in the final qualifying heat in the men's 200 metre in London.
He goes into the race having run a personal best of 20.30 seconds this season and of all the runners in his heat, only Dutch sprinter Churandy Martina has put up a faster time this year.
The 200m comes two days after Jamaican Usain Bolt set an Olympic record in the 100 metre on a track Connaughton said was fast and in a race he described as "scintillating".
Connaughton said the 100-metre final lit a spark in the athletes' village.
"I'm feeling primed and ready to compete," he said.
This is Connaughton's second trip to the Olympics and he competed in the 2008 Games in Beijing where he reached the semi-final.
In an e-mail from London, Connaughton said he was appreciative of all the support people were sending from home.
"Thanks to all that sent well wishes and positive vibes," he said.
"Thanks to all that sent well wishes and positive vibes." - Jared Connaughton
There should be plenty of positive vibes from the daycare where Villard said the children are interested in seeing someone from P.E.I. race at the Olympics.
It showed them what someone from the Island could accomplish, she said.
"They thought that was pretty cool that even they'd get a chance."
But while she hopes to have some of them watch the race, Villard said Jared Connaughton day won't end there.
The children will compete in their mini-Olympics, complete with races, javelin using wooden dowels, frisbees for the discus and shot put using rocks.
There will also be an opening ceremony and a medal ceremony, although the winners will get something a little sweeter than gold, silver or bronze.
In the Cornwall games the victors get coloured marshmallows.
Villard said some of the older kids have a better understanding of what's going on and why they're having the event.
"They were talking about it a little bit already," she said.
If he makes it through the qualifying round, Connaughton will run again Wednesday afternoon.
The final is scheduled for Thursday.
