McDonald’s has officially announced its renewed partnership with the Olympic Games through 2020. As part of this, the fast food chain launches Champions of Play, a global campaign for children’s wellness that was discussed in 2011.

Photo: McDonald’s has been the official Olympics restaurant since 1968, from www.aboutmcdonalds.com

Within this campaign, more than 33,000 McDonald’s restaurants around the world would host such grassroots programs as youth sports leagues and competitions, feature special Happy Meal packaging and in-store materials, and link visitors to a website that showcases Olympic athletes and allows users to track their progress.

200 children from around the world that will take part in will McDonald’s local Champions of Play events, have a chance to see the 2012 Summer Games in London.

“As a top sponsor, we challenge ourselves to keep raising our game and evolving our sponsorship through programs like McDonald’s Champions of Play,” said Kevin Newell, global chief brand officer of the Oak Brook, Ill.-based company. “Olympic athletes are great role models for kids today, and their ability to motivate children and families to get active is unparalleled. McDonald’s looks forward to connecting kids with Olympic athletes and helping them see that no dream is beyond their reach.”

McDonald’s signed five-time Olympian swimmer Dara Torres as the global ambassador for the program. She and several other athletes including sprinter Carl Lewis and figure skater Katarina Witt will interact with children on the Champions of Play website that is to be launched soon.