SPORTING GIANTS UPDATE

 

The last year has seen a full programme of assessments

SPORTING GIANTS UPDATE

It is now just under a year since UK Sport (UKS) and the English Institute of Sport (EIS) launched the Sporting Giants campaign in Trafalgar Square.

Targeting Great Britain’s pool of potentially elite athletes, the campaign aimed to reduce the “luck” factor in discovering new talent and provide direction as to where it could best be nurtured and developed. 

In February 2007, UK Sport, in conjunction with the English Institute of Sport, set out to awaken some potential sleeping giants of British sport. Through the first public appeal of its kind, athletes up and down the country were asked to make themselves known – providing they fulfilled the basic criteria of being tall (a minimum of 190cm (6’3”) for men and 180cm (5’11”) for women), between 16 and 25 years old, and having some sort of athletic background. The incentive was the potential for the most talented to become part of the performance programmes in the Olympic sports of Handball, Rowing or Volleyball.

On February 27th, with the nation’s sporting journalists gathered, the launch took place in Trafalgar Square. In front of this iconic London backdrop Sir Steve Redgrave, Britain’s greatest ever Olympian, threw down the gauntlet. The response was staggering, far exceeding expectations, with over 3,800 people submitting applications that met the initial criteria. 

The last year has seen a full programme of Talent Identification (TID) assessments undertaken in partnership with British Rowing, Handball and Volleyball. Every application received was considered by a specialist team of elite coaches and TID sports scientists, to ensure that those with genuine Olympic potential were selected for further sport specific assessments. Of the 3,800 applications that met the official criteria, approximately 2,000 Giants underwent a talent assessment in either Handball, Rowing or Volleyball. In some instances, participants were invited to attend trials across all three sports. A handful of Giants were also directed to other targeted Olympic sports where it appeared their talent characteristics may be better matched.  

Whilst the total numbers that have now progressed to Olympic Development Programmes is small (approximately 65 athletes), this was inevitable and reflects the harsh reality of elite sport which is out of reach for the majority. However, as this phase of the campaign draws to a close, UK Sport and the English Institute of Sport hope that Sporting Giants has given those involved a glimpse into the world of high-performance sport and what it takes to become an Olympian. We would like to thank every applicant for their and participation in the largest sporting Talent Identification drive the UK has ever seen. 

Click here to view a copy of the Sporting Giants applicant update letter which includes a sport by sport update highlighting the achievements of Sporting Giants and providing a flavour of some of the activities that have taken place within these sports over the last year.

EIS / UK Sport

13.02.08

 

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Sporting Giants Case Studies []