Inspired by going for a run with Sebastian Coe while in Zurich for the World Cup vote last week, Johnson said he hoped the money would help bolster the capital's legacy from the London 2012 Olympcs and Paralympics.

The funding announcement, made at Waltham Forest Track in East London, means the Mayor has now awarded £5.4 million ($8.4 million) of the £15.5 million ($24.3 million) ring-fenced budget from his Olympic Sports Legacy Programme towards improving sports facilities and participation throughout the capital.

Johnson told insidethegames: "We have interviewed hundreds of organisations that wanted some of our money and we have boiled it down to 18 fantastic groups who will really help give encouragement to people to help them get into sport.

"When I was in Zurich for the World Cup vote last week - which obviously wasn't the best trip - I did have one really big highlight as I went out for a run with Seb Coe and that was so exciting for me.

"Running with an Olympic champion like Seb is so motivating.

"He is someone who knows everything about running and he made me want to do my best and go faster than I ever have before.

"That it what I want to see from these 18 projects - people being inspired by other, more knowledgeable individuals and coaches, to get into sport and do their best.

"This funding means we can maximise the potential of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to increase participation in sports across London and now really is the time to get involved, get off the sofa, get active and become part of London's Olympic sporting legacy."

The aim is that the 18 projects will engage up to 200,000 Londoners of all ages over the next two years.

In some cases they will also use sport in innovative ways to tackle issues such as youth crime and social exclusion, thereby helping to deliver some of the key objectives of the Mayor's Time for Action strategy.

One of the projects which will benefit from this funding includes the Fight for Peace Academy in North Woolwich, which uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to unlock the potential of young people from communities that suffer from crime and violence.

Kate Hoey, the Mayor's Sports Commissioner, added: "Both the Mayor and I believe strongly in the value of sport to individuals and to society and the projects we are announcing today all have the potential to make a real difference to the lives of Londoners.

"In selecting these projects to support, we considered over a hundred applications and it was inspiring to see the huge amount of great work going on across this city."

Other projects to receive funding include the Panathlon Foundation Ltd, which provides a programme of coaching and competitive sport for seriously disabled children and young people in special schools, and Access Sport, which will set up 50 sports clubs in the Olympic Boroughs, including five BMX clubs, and aims to make direct use of Olympic venues.

The Mayor has now committed £7 million ($11 million) to the Facilities Fund, £3 million ($5 million) to the Skills Fund and £4 million ($6 million) to the Sports Participation Fund.

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