Young athletes selected for GO GOLD funding

LEICESTER-SHIRE & Rutland Sport (LRS) and its partners have awarded 50 up and coming athletes funding as part of its GO GOLD Funding Programme.

The aim of GO GOLD is to support local talented athletes who are being recognised by their National Governing Bodies of Sport as being our future Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games participants.

And 50 promising young athletes from 14 sports from judo through to sailing are part of the 2018/19 programme, receiving grants which aim to provide valuable financial support towards kit, equipment, travel and accommodation for competitions and tournaments.

Funding ranges from £250-£1,000, and Podium level funding is provided by Leicestershire County Council, Leicester City Council and Rutland County Council to those athletes who are competing at Regional (East Midlands), National or International Level in an Olympic, Paralympic or Commonwealth discipline.

Twelve athletes from Charnwood and five from North West Leicestershire are included in the programme and were presented with their grants by the Chairman of Leicestershire County Council Janice Richards, at County Hall on Thursday, April 19.

• Ben Dijkstra: Triathlon, World Junior Bronze Medallist, Silver medal at Holten Senior Premium European Cup.

• James Teagle: Triathlon, 1st U23 European Elite Relay Champion 2017, 3rd British Elite Championships 2017

• William Bell: Swimming, Represented GB at European Youth Olympic Festival, swam PB’s in both events in Hungary.

• Tre Thomas: Athletics, Indoor England Athletics Indoor 60m Hurdle Champion. The GO GOLD athletes pictured at a grant presenation at county hall. • Michaella Glenister: Swimming, Competed for team GB in Gyor at the European Youth Olympic festival.

• Adam Hames: Bobsleigh, Only youth athlete to progress onto the senior programme.

• Olivia Back: Hockey, Representing England U18’s at the six nations tournament in Barcelona.

• Megan Morrison: Swimming: Silver medal at British Summer National 2017, 200M Breaststroke.

• April Tacey: Cycling: 1st in Bourne Wheeler’s Junior girls road race.

• Alex Haines: Cycling: Winning the National Madison championships.

• Victoria Johnson: Athletics: 2nd at English Schools’ AA in 80m hurdles.

• Isla Lees: Gymnastics: Became British Espoir floor champion, and finished the season ranked sixth in Great Britain.

• Harriet West: Swimming: Gold in fly Target Tokyo • Karim Chan: Athletics: 2017 IPC Para Athletics Junior Long Jump Champion at Notwill, Switzerland.

• Emily Crane: Swimming: Gold in Target Tokyo Final at British Championships in the 50m backstroke.

• Chloe Baxter: Swimming: 12/13 year Girls Gold 200m freestyle English Champion at English summer Nationals.

• Levi Codling: Swimming: National Junior Para swimming Golds, S7, selected for CP World games in 2018

GO GOLD Ambassador Harriet West from North West Leicestershire, who has now secured her second year of GO GOLD funding and represented her nation at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, said: “Swimming is quite an expensive sport, so the money helps with hotels, travel and the equipment we use.

“The funding from GO GOLD really does go a long way. Now I’m going to keep going to see where I can get to.”