How the Lotto has proved a lucky number for sport

LOTTERY-funded athletes have won 680 Olympic and Paralympic medals since funding was awarded to elite athletes in 1997. SOME 4,500 elite athletes have benefited from National Lottery funding including Laura Trott, Jason Kenny, Max Whitlock, Sir Chris Hoy, Tom Daley, Ellie Simmonds, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Mo Farah. COSTS per medal can be high: equestrianism’s three medals work out at £5.9million each, and cycling’s 12 at £2.5million apiece from UK Sport. THE National Lottery has invested more than £5billion in grassroots sport to date, supporting more than 150 different sports. THE event branded ‘I am Team GB’ aims to get more people playing sport after participation disappointed after London 2012.