Olympians Phil Healy and David Gillick team up with Irish banana giant in this year’s quest

David Gillick (left) and Phil Healy have relaunched their search for Ireland's Fittest School

David Gillick (left) and Phil Healy have relaunched their search for Ireland’s Fittest School

For the second year running, Cork sprinter Phil Healy and Dublin 400m specialist David Gillick have joined Fyffes in its search for the fittest school in Ireland.

Registration for the competition, which runs until 31 March, can now be made online, with the overall winner announced in April.

Last year, North Donegal primary school, Scoil Na Croise Naofa, in Dunfanaghy, fought off stiff competition from numerous other schools to be crowned ‘Ireland’s Fittest School 2022’.

Together, Healy and Gillick have recorded a series of workouts that they say are ‘fit for even the least active’ – exercise routines they hope schools will adopt as part of their PE curriculum.

The winning school will be visited by the two Olympians and receive €5,000 worth of sports equipment. In addition, there will be monthly and spot prize giveaways.

The start of the competition coincides with the resumption this month of Fyffes’ children’s fitness programme of live school visits following a two-year break during Covid.

Originally conceived as a means of introducing children to the importance of physical exercise and healthy eating, the upcoming schedule will see some 7,500 pupils – from schools throughout the island of Ireland – participating in an interactive Fit Squad session between now and March 2023.

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