USA: David Beckham attends benefit dinner to raise funds for children suffering from genetic birth defects

Record ID: 189986

  • Title: USA: David Beckham attends benefit dinner to raise funds for children suffering from genetic birth defects
  • Date: 21st May 2012
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (MAY 20, 2012) (REUTERS) ( ** BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) WIDE OF DAVID BECKHAM AND SON BROOKLYN CLOSE UP OF DAVID BECKHAM, PAN OUT TO DAVID BECKHAM AND SON BROOKLYN MARC ANTHONY AND GIRLFRIEND SHANNON DE LIMA (SOUNDBITE) (English), DAVID BECKHAM, SOCCER STAR ON BRINGING OLYMPIC TORCH TO ENGLAND, SAYING: "It was incredible. To bring the flame back from Athens into England was a huge honor for myself and I'm very proud of that." DAVID BECKHAM TALKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (English), DAVID BECKHAM, SOCCER STAR ON WORKING WITH CHILDREN, SAYING: "That's one of the things I love doing. People always ask me what I want to do when I've finished playing, and they say, 'Do I want to go into management?' To be honest I've never wanted to go into management. I love coaching kids, I love working with kids. They're amazing people. They're amazingly truthful, young people, and that's what I love doing." MARC ANTHONY TALKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (English), JOHN SALLEY, SPORTS SPECTACULAR HOST AND FORMER NBA CHAMPION, SAYING: "All my memories are best. I don't deal in negativity; I try not to even think of the negative times. Seeing a kid just smile is the best reaction you can get from anyone." PHOTOGRAPHERS (SOUNDBITE) (English), GINA CARANO, MIXED MARTIAL ARTS FIGHTER AND ACTRESS, SAYING: "Working with kids? I used to train kids in fighting, well, more like self defense. Sports changes people's lives, so it's just an honor to be here." (SOUNDBITE) (English), ALAN THICKE, ACTOR, SAYING: "I think whenever people in the public eye, celebrities, athletes, politicians, get together and do something, especially for children, everybody wins." WIDE OF DAVID BECKHAM, SON BROOKLYN AND MARC ANTHONY IN CROWD
  • Embargoed: 5th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Entertainment,Health,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA4F8Q63NM99QVEYEAXR1NBT3EF
  • Story Text: David Beckham appeared relaxed for his honoring at the 27th annual Sports Spectacular gala in Los Angeles on Sunday (May 20), despite his whirlwind duties of bringing the Olympic torch from Greece to England on Friday (May 18) and playing an LA Galaxy game but losing out to Chivas USA in LA just yesterday.
    "It was incredible," Beckham said about the Olympic accolade. "To bring the flame back from Athens into England was a huge honor for myself and I'm very proud of that."
    No longer part of England's international set-up and living in Los Angeles, Beckham has said repeatedly that he wants to play for the first United British soccer team to compete at the Olympics since 1960.
    The London-born LA Galaxy player's presence in Athens and increasing involvement in the build-up to the Games has added to speculation he will be selected.
    Cedars-Sinai Medical Genetics Institute's fundraiser on Sunday honored the country's top sports stars to raise awareness in combating genetic birth defects in children.
    Beckham said he would prefer working with kids over managing a team after he retires.
    "People always ask me what I want to do when I've finished playing, and they say, 'Do I want to go into management?'" the soccer star said. "To be honest I've never wanted to go into management. I love coaching kids, I love working with kids. They're amazing people. They're amazingly truthful, young people, and that's what I love doing."
    The benefit has raised more than $21 million in past years.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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