AQUATICS ATHLETES DOMINATE 2012 SCHOLARSHIPS
Fourteen young British Swimming athletes have been added
to the Talented Athletes Scholarship Scheme which will provide
crucial funding in their preparation ahead of the 2012 Olympic
Games.
The new recruits to the scheme mean that British Swimming
dominates the provisional scholarship list and accounts for
16 of the 107 young athletes to receive support.
The Government-funded 2012 Scholarships are designed to bridge
the gap between school and junior club programmes and existing
elite athlete support and are part of a multi-million pound
scheme aimed at producing gold for Britain at the 2012 Olympics.
Scholarships are awarded to talented sportsmen and women aged
10 years and above.
Among the swimmers, divers and synchronised swimmers named
in the list are eight of the 13 young female athletes handpicked
by British swimming performance director Bill Sweetenham last
year to attend a month-long camp in Mexico as part of the
Smart Track initiative which helps develop young swimming
talent.
Lizzie Simmonds (Lincoln Vulcans), a triple medal winner
at last month's World Championship Trials in Manchester, is
one of them and joins club-mate Jordan Tomlinson as one of
eight swimmers to receive a funding boost.
Also named to receive up to £10,000 per year are synchronised
swimming duo Jenna Randall (Rushmoor Royals) and Hannah Massey
(Bristol Central), as well as 2004 diving world championship
medallist Callum Johnstone from Leeds.
Paralympian David Hill (Kelly College) will also benefit
from funding and joins disability swimmer Rachel Latham, who
was named at the launch of the programme last week. At just
15, Hill was the youngest British athlete to attend the Paralympic
Games last summer in Athens.
Speaking at last week's launch, Secretary of State for Culture
Media and Sport Tessa Jowell said:
"These young athletes are among the brightest and the
best of a new crop of sporting talent being nurtured in Britain."
"Just as we passionately want the Olympics and Paralympics
to be staged here in 2012, so we want young people like these
to be given the best possible chance to challenge for medals.
Either way, we'll be ready."
Money will be used to provide access to high-quality training
facilities in the UK and overseas, coaching and access to
medical advice and sports psychologists.
The scheme builds on the success of the Talented Athlete
Scholarship Scheme, which is intended to help older competitors,
at university or in first jobs.
A total of £1m a year in Exchequer funding for the scheme
will be distributed by Sport England. Backing has been announced
through until the financial year 2007/08, but it is expected
that it will continue beyond then, in the run-up to 2012.
The 16 British Swimming athletes named to receive
the 2012 Scholarships are:
Disability Swimmers
Rachel Latham (Wigan)
David Hill (Kelly College)
Divers
Claire Blencowe (City of Sheffield)
Max Brick (Southampton DA)
Thomas Daley (Plymouth DC)
Callum Johnstone (City of Leeds)
Swimmers
Jessica Dickons (Stockton)
Ellen Gandy (Beckenham SC)
Rachael Gatford (Beckenham)
Francesca Halsall (City of Liverpool)
Jemma Lowe (Stockton)
Emily Key (Stratford Sharks)
Elizabeth Simmonds (Lincoln Vulcans)
Jordan Tomlinson (Lincoln Vulcans)
Synchronised Swimmers
Jenna Randall (Rushmoor Royals)
Hannah Massey (Bristol Central)
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