Athletes including cyclists, rowers and a skeleton bobsleigher have been given a share of £16,000
Almost 30 South Cambs athletes are sharing elite athlete funding from the district council to help them reach their potential.
Almost 30 athletes from South Cambridgeshire, including competitors in skeleton bobsleigh, cycling and clay pigeon shooting, are sharing around £16,000 in council funding.
The sportsmen and women were successful in applying for funds from South Cambridgeshire District Council's Elite Athlete Award Scheme grants.
The programme is designed to assist able-bodied and disabled athletes from South Cambridgeshire, who are aiming to represent Team GB at world-class events like the Olympics and Paralympics.
The fund aims to make crucial contributions to aspects of training such as equipment and travel. All applicants were asked to demonstrate how they will use the money to help them reach their sporting goals.
Georgina Cohen, 28, from Shingay-cum-Wendy competes in the skeleton bobsleigh. She said:"This funding is a welcome contribution to my training. As a self-funded athlete, it will go towards achieving my goals in skeleton this season. As we don't have a bobsleigh track in the UK, I must travel abroad to train and compete. Accommodation, travel, transport, insurance and track runs all have to be budgeted for.
"Each training trip is limited to what I can afford and it's the access to 'ice time' that can make a real difference to achieving a good finish time and position, as we're racing for hundredths of a second over 1.2km in under one-minute. This funding will go towards my upcoming trip to Igls in Austria."
Bar Hill-based cyclist, Hayley Simmonds, 29, was awarded £1,000. She said:"I'm extremely grateful to South Cambridgeshire District Council for my funding. As a female professional cyclist who does not receive any national governing body funding, the grant means a lot to me, particularly with the Commonwealth Games only ten weeks away. The money received will aid me in my final preparations for the games, which include a warm weather training camp, aerodynamic testing and support services including physiotherapy and strength and conditioning."
This year, a total of 29 local athletes were successful in bidding for funds. Grants have been awarded to sports-people who compete in a wide range of events, including athletics, clay pigeon shooting, cycling, diving, equestrian dressage, golf, gymnastics, hockey, rowing, sailing, skeleton bobsleigh, swimming, tennis, trampoline, triathlon, goalball, powerlifting and squash.
Daniel Mawby, a 20-year-old from Swavesey who competes in clay pigeon shooting, was awarded £1,000. He said:"I would like to thank South Cambridgeshire District Council for the opportunities they have given me. The scheme really helps young athletes take their next steps. It is helping me to achieve things that would not have been possible without the funding the scheme provides. It's a really positive thing for young people."
Cllr Mark Howell, South Cambridgeshire District Council's Cabinet Member responsible for the awards, said:"It's fantastic to be able to help our local sportsmen and women to reach their potential. Training to be an elite athlete in any sport not only requires a huge amount of determination, but also hour after hour of practice. Our fund makes a valuable contribution to this process by helping local sportsmen and women pay for crucial factors that can't be overlooked, like equipment and travel. Last year, I saw first-hand in a gym in Babraham how Camille Holland, our Dry Drayton-based Team GB powerlifter has benefited from this funding. I can't wait to see this next generation of our local athletes putting the grants to effective use on their way to trophies and wider recognition."
Athletes:
Athletics
Thomas Keen, 16, West Wickham, £750
Deshawn Lascelles, 14, Cambourne, £250
OJ Parmenter, 14, Swavesey, £250
Shannon Flockhart, 15, Longstanton, £450
Libby Taylor, 15, Steeple Morden, £250
Clay pigeon shooting
Daniel Mawby, 20, Swavesey, £1,000
Cycling
Hayley Simmonds, 29, Bar Hill, £1,000
Sophie Lankford, 21, Girton, £500
Diving
Ben Cutmore, 14, Abington Pigotts, £850
Equestrian dressage
Nicola Taylor, 23, Great Shelford, £500
Iona Sclater, 13, Abington Pigotts, £300
Lucy Warne, 30, Bassingbourn, £750
Golf
Oliver Brunt, 14, Great Chishill, £800
Gymnastics
Teegan Milligan, 12, Cambourne, £300
Hockey
Rhodri Furlong, 22, Histon, £800
Rowing
Olivia Morgan, 16, Cottenham, £800
Ella Darrington, 12, Kingston, £250
Sailing
Terry Hacker, 13, Cottenham, £250
Skeleton bobsleigh
Georgina Cohen, 28, Shingay-cum-Wendy, £250
Swimming
Angharad Evans, 14, Abington, £800
Rebecca Burton, 17, Cambourne, £350
Jake Moxham, 15, Melbourn, £350
Millie Emmans, 18, Caldecote, £350
Tennis
Anna Loughlan, 17, Fulbourn, £800
Trampoline
Evie Joseph, 14, Caldecote, £800
Triathlon
Sophie Pedder, 17, Litlington, £1,000
Goalball
Georgina Bullen, 23, Shepreth, £1,000
Powerlifting
Camille Holland, 29, Dry Drayton, £1,000
Squash
Ellis Miller, 15, Caldecote, £350
