Swim star David Davies is the latest sporting celebrity to throw his support behind 5 x 60 - the Welsh Assembly Government programme, designed to get more secondary pupils taking part in extra-curricular physical activity.

Latest figures reveal that increasing numbers of youngsters are pulling on their trainers to get involved, and now the two-times Olympian has championed the Sports Council for Wales managed programme which aims to inspire young people to get active:

 “The 5x60 scheme is such a good idea. We need to get youngsters interested in physical activity and so we need to make it fun and enjoyable. Variety is really important and I’m not surprised that street dance and dodgeball are proving popular,” explains Davies.

And the Barry swimmer explains that you don’t have to do a 10k open water swim to keep fit and active:

“Straight after my swim in Beijing, I wouldn’t have recommended that to anyone! You don’t have to take part in such a gruelling event to get fit. Children should be doing 60 minutes of exercise five times a week and I’d recommend that young people just grab the chance to try any new activity.”

5 x 60 has offered secondary school pupils the chance to try various outdoor pursuits as well as more traditional school sports such as cricket, golf and tennis:

“It’s really good news that The Sports Council for Wales and the Welsh Assembly is providing such a range of opportunities. I wish I could have tried out surfing and climbing when I was in school,” Davies adds.

After a busy programme of summer holiday activities, pupils are now well into the Autumn term and the 5 x 60 programme will now be rolled out to 98% of secondary schools in Wales.

During the summer term, 10,428 5 x 60 sessions took place – an increase of more than 2000 on the spring term.

Minister for Heritage, Alun Ffred Jones, also believes that the range of activities on offer has been the key to the success:

"The 5 x 60 programme is continuing to make waves across Wales. Over the summer holidays, we have seen a substantial number of activities taking place. Young people have been given the opportunity to enjoy outdoor programmes of surfing, gorge walking, coasteering, raft building, climbing, canoeing and sailing as well as more traditional sporting options. It is vital that we continue to offer a wide variety of activities in order that young people will maintain their interest in being active.”

Chair of the Sports Council for Wales, Philip Carling, explains:

“We have been delighted by the success of the 5 x 60 programme which concentrates on providing physical activity for schoolchildren who are not part of the rugby, football or hockey and netball groups though the traditional sports are included the programme.

“Activities are innovative and include coasteering, ultimate frisbee and dodgeball and have been enthusiastically received by the young people themselves. This is particularly pleasing as the longer term objective is to encourage them to continue to take part in physical activity as adults. By the end of this financial year, the programme will embrace all secondary schools in Wales. Support from David Davies will provide a further boost for what is already a highly successful scheme and we are very grateful to him for his help and enthusiasm.”

To find out more about the Welsh Assembly Government’s 5x60 programme visit www.5x60.org.uk.