Jaguar Academy of Sport held the first of many ceremonies in London this week – and signed up 35 young British athletes with cheques and certificates to help develop their sporting talent.
The academy was launched in March 2010 and is designed to nurture young British sporting talent by offering a bursary to athletes between the ages of 14-24. Awards will take place annually.
Winners at the 2010 awards include 15-year-old Leanne Stephens. She received her first GB vest when she beat the World No. 8 at table tennis. Now a member of the GB Paralympics training group, she is ranked number one in the UK at under-21 level.
Daniel Talbot has high hopes of competing in the 2012 Olympics relay team. He currently ranks first in the U20 UK in 200m and third in the 100m event. Swimming his way to success is Thomas Allen who has already been selected for the Senior World Championships in Canada later this month having already represented Great Britain at the senior 10k open water events.
Sports rewarded this year include athletics, shooting, archery, golf and boxing. Geoff Cousins, managing director of Jaguar UK, said: ‘We are delighted to present the first of our Jaguar Academy of Sport Bursary Awards to these outstanding young athletes…I would like to congratulate each and every one of the winners.’