Inspirational Sporting Champions Compete for Team GB in the London 2012 Olympic Games

Posted: Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:01

Seven of the athletes who've been inspiring young people to get involved in sport through the Sportivate legacy programme have been selected to represent Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Over the next two weeks Alison Williamson (Archery, Nigel Levine (Athletics), Pete Waterfield (Diving), Louise Jukes (Handball), Lynn McCafferty (Handball), Holly Lam Moores (Handball), and Charles Cousins (Rowing) will be fulfilling their dreams and competing in the greatest sporting event on earth.

'It's fantastic the athletes that have been supporting us to inspire a generation to get into sport will be inspiring even more people through their performances at the Games', said Mike Diaper, Community Sport Director at Sport England. 'The support they have given us has been great and now it's our turn to support them. I know everyone from both Sport England and the Sportivate programme will be cheering them on and on behalf of everyone I wish them the best of luck'.

Each of te seven athletes has been supporting Sport England through their role as Sporting Champions, an initiative bringing world-class athletes face-to-face with young people to inspire and motivate them.

Sportivate aims to give 14-15 year olds who currently aren't playing sport int heir own time the chance to find a sport they enjoy. They are then helped to find a club or venue where they can keep taking part. Already 80,000 young people have taken up sport in the first nine months of the programme, with many more set to benefit over the next four years. Even more encouragingly 8 out of 10 young people have kept on playing after the course has finished.

The athletes will be competing in the following events: