(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade and YMCA campers got to meet a few Olympic athletes ahead of the Paris games, which kick off Friday, July 26.

Children from the YMCA summer camp got the chance to meet and interact with an Olympic coach and six athletes from the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, including Fort Carson Staff Sergeant Leonard Korir, who will compete for team USA in the marathon event on Aug. 10.

“It’s amazing. You know, it’s every time you do something, especially the young kids, they will be the next generation. So to inspire them, it’s very good,” said SSG Korir. “So whenever you’re talking to the kids, you know that they will be the future Olympians.”

These are top-ranked soldier athletes with a goal of performing at the international level, while simultaneously serving their nation in the military.