SIR STEVE Redgrave is among the sporting heroes backing an Ealing man's very personal bid to keep the Olympic legacy alive two years on from London 2012.

James Linney, 32, of Churchfield Road, has challenged himself to take part or compete in each of the 41 Olympic disciplines before the 2016 Games - and the idea is gathering pace.

After enjoying a golden night on 'Super Saturday' in the Olympic Stadium with his sister Claire, watching Mo Farah and Co from just a few rows behind David Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Seb Coe, he became hooked.

"I was so proud of London and what Londoners had done," he said.

"I thought, maybe I'm not in the typical target audience for Olympic legacy, which is about getting young people involved in sports, but what's my legacy?"

Workmates at the healthcare communications agency, where James works as an account manager, suggested he take one of their corporate places in the Royal Parks Marathon - and James has been keeping busy ever since.

He formalised the idea by setting up a blog to record his progress and this eventually came to the attention of Sir Steve, who sent a personalised message, as well as other stars such as Dame Kelly Holmes.

James has now taken part in 24 sports, including beach volleyball, fencing, track and BMX cycling, and has ambitious plans for a canoe session with 2012 gold medallist Etienne Stott in Wales.

"I wanted to do sports to a decent level, not just hit a shuttlecock and say that's badminton done and checked off," he said.

"I was actually surprised about how easy it was to get involved with some sports at a good level. Especially handball, initially through beginner sessions at Ruislip Eagles, but then actually playing for their third team."

Charities also benefit from the pursuits, including a 2.5km swim for Sport Relief, as well as the recent Ealing Half Marathon for Get Kids Going.

Though James remains a member of the Will To Win tennis club in Lammas Park and is a regular runner with the Ealing Eagles alongside his wife, Rhian, it's sometimes hard to keep up.

"One of the main frustrations is that getting involved in so many sports means, at some point, I am having to move on from them," he said.

"I'm not sure what my next charity event will be, but it'll probably be synchronised swimming or gymnastics.

“People keep saying they can't wait to see me dressed in a leotard and I'm sure they'll pay money for that."

You can read James's blog at http://myrio2016olympics.com/