Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions Scheme

SPORTING CHAMPIONS AWARDS 2023 Colin Jackson

Up-and-coming athletes in Dacorum are set to gain much-needed support as part of a sports talent development programme.

Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions scheme, now in its eighth year, has helped more than 5,000 athletes to achieve their sporting potential by providing free access to Everyone Active’s 230-plus leisure facilities, including Berkhamsted Leisure Centre, Hemel Hempstead Leisure Centre and Jarman Park Athletics Track.

Among the athletes accepted on the scheme in Dacorum this year are:

  • Summer Bradbury, Cable Wakeboarding and Trampoline, who recently joined Team GB and came second place in both the wakeboarding internationals and her regional trampoline championships.
  • Zack Bobrowski, Badminton, who is the number one Men’s Single player in Hertfordshire and recently made the final 16 in both Germany and Iceland international tournaments.
  • Isla Gie, Artistic Gymnastics and Dancing, who became the 2023 world champion in Acrobatics in the Dance World Cup in Portugal, recently played the title role of Matilda in the West End musical ‘Matilda’, and qualified for the British Gymnastics Championships 2024.

Alongside free access to Everyone Active centres, Sporting Champions will also receive valuable mentoring and guidance from an impressive panel of Elite athletes, some of whom look set to compete at Paris 2024.

The scheme’s all-star line-up of decorated Olympians and Paralympians includes Jennifer and Jessica Gadirova, Lutalo Muhammad, Richard Kilty, Lauren Steadman and Maisie Summers-Newton, while new to the panel for 2024 is GB sprint star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey.

These Elite athletes will share their experience and expertise through group mentoring sessions, covering topics including mental wellbeing, nutrition, managing finances, social media and media training.

Olympic silver medallist Colin Jackson will also continue to support the scheme through his role as an Ambassador, working alongside the Elite athletes to make sport more accessible within local communities.

Colin said: ‘I’m passionate about nurturing young talent and the Sporting Champions scheme goes above and beyond in this mission. With the Olympics and Paralympics taking place in Paris this summer, the programme takes on even greater significance in 2024. Seeing these future champions flourish fuels my excitement for what’s to come.’

The Sporting Champions scheme has poured more than £2million into young athletes across the country, proving its commitment to grassroots sporting excellence.

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, no fewer than 30 Sporting Champions competed, taking home five gold, two silver and three bronze medals.

Steve Cox, Everyone Active’s area contract manager, said: ‘Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions scheme has been very successful in providing exceptional support to emerging talent and we are delighted to be once again supporting athletes from Dacorum on their journey to success.

‘It’s fantastic to see how the scheme has expanded over the years, now providing more than 1,000 athletes nationwide with access to top-quality training facilities and support.

‘As a leisure provider working in partnership with Dacorum Borough Council, we feel it is important to cater for all sections of the community. We hope to continue making a real difference to our athletes’ success and are excited to see what the relaunch of the scheme will bring this year.’

To find out more about the Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions scheme, visit www.easportingchampions.com or follow @easportingchamps on Instagram. For further information on Everyone Active, visit www.everyoneactive.com.