A SPORTING legacy was promised when Britain won the right to host the Olympics.

It would be fair to say that steps towards fulfilling that pledge have been faltering since the euphoria of London 2012 died down.

However today’s Daily Echo reports two significant stories that go some way towards those dreams being realised (see pages 8 and 9).

Most significantly, Southampton is to get a large-scale running event for the first time since it hosted the initial Great South Run a quarter of a century ago.

The half-marathon will not take place until next spring, but this summer will see the return of the Sky Ride cycling event, which organisers are promising will be bigger and better than ever.

Both events are great chances to showcase the city’s best features, iconic locations such as the Bargate, the Common and the parks – and are a boost to health by giving residents looking to get fit something to aim for.

Whisper it quietly but they could also be a shot in the arm for Southampton’s muchmaligned tourist industry.