ASPIRING athletes in Solihull are set to gain vital support as part of a sports talent development programme.
The renowned programme gives budding sports stars a chance to unlock their full potential by offering access to state-of-the-art training facilities and mentoring support from Olympians and Paralympians.
Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions scheme, now in its ninth year, has helped more than 7,000 athletes to achieve their sporting potential by providing free access to Everyone Active’s 230-plus leisure facilities.
This includes Tudor Grange Leisure Centre and North Solihull Sports Centre.
Among the athletes accepted on the scheme in Solihull this year are 30-year-old Christopher Murphy, an adaptive, intellectual impaired judo athlete whose achievements include winning a gold medal in the 2025 Adaptive/Visually Impaired Scottish Open Judo Championships in January and British Judo Adaptive Athlete of the year award in 2024.
And artistic swimmers and sisters 11-year-old Teal Sutton and 15-year-old Imogen Sutton.
Imogen gained a place in the GB youth squad in autumn 2023 and has since competed with the GB Team in Croatia and secured a bronze medal.
Teal has taken part in synchronised swimming since the age of four and secured a place to join the GB youth development squad as the youngest swimmer.
Alongside free access to Everyone Active centres, Sporting Champions will also receive mentoring and guidance from a panel of Elite athletes comprising world champions, Commonwealth champions and Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic medallists.
The scheme’s all-star line-up of athletes includes Richard Kilty, Lauren Steadman, Maisie Summers-Newton and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, while new to the panel for 2025 is Team GB cyclist Emma Finucane.
New for this year, Sporting Champions will take part in bitesize webinars in collaboration with national governing bodies. The scheme will also offer innovative hands-on workshops, designed to equip up-and-coming athletes with the practical tools and techniques needed to be at the top of their game.
Olympic silver medallist and former world record holder, Colin Jackson, will continue to support the scheme through his role as Ambassador, working alongside the Elite athletes to help make sport more accessible within communities.
At the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, no fewer than 26 Sporting Champions competed, taking home nine gold, six silver and eight bronze medals collectively.
Wayne Desmond, Everyone Active’s contract manager in Solihull, said: “The profound impact Sporting Champions has on emerging talent from Solihull each year is always amazing to see, and we are excited to be supporting more athletes than ever on their journey to sporting success.”
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