BEIJING OLYMPIANS RALLY THE RIO 2016 GENERATION

UK Sport/EIS Press Release - 20.10.09

Two of Britain’s top rowers and Beijing Olympic medallists, Andy Hodge and Katherine Grainger, today called on the next generation of British athletes to step up and find out if they have what it takes to follow in their footsteps.

Following the announcement on the 3rd October that Rio de Janeiro will  host the next Olympics after London, UK Sport and the English Institute of Sport have once again joined forces to find athletes capable of representing and winning medals for Great Britain in Brazil in 2016.  

With almost all athletes likely to compete in London already identified and in the system, ‘Talent 2016’ will consist of a series of searches looking to unearth athletic youngsters with the potential to reach the podium in Rio in seven years time. The first search in the series, ‘Tall and Talented’, is looking for men and woman between the ages of 15 – 22 and over the heights of 180cm or 5’ 11” (for women) and 190cm or 6’ 3” (for men), who could find success in sports where height can give an athlete a real advantage, such as rowing and basketball.

“At the age of 16, I just spent my time watching TV and riding my bike to my friends’ houses. I never dreamed that I would one day be an Olympic Champion,” said Hodge, who was part of the men’s four crew who won gold in the Chinese capital last year. “I got into rowing by chance, and simply as a way of getting fit. Talent 2016 removes the element of luck involved and provides young athletes with a more structured opportunity to realise their sporting potential.”

“Competing at the Olympics is as good as it gets,” said Grainger. “Talent 2016: Tall and Talented is a once in a lifetime opportunity. If you think you have what it takes, then give it a go. It won’t be easy, but you’ll have a world class support team backing you all the way. If you’ve got the talent and the dedication, you could be standing on that Olympic podium in Rio in seven years time with a gold medal around your neck.”

Previous campaigns run by the UK Talent Team have highlighted the benefits of taking a more proactive and scientific approach to matching athletes with their ideal sport. Sporting Giants, Girls4Gold and Pitch2Podium have successfully identified a number of athletes, who are all now striving for success either in London or the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014. The time has now come to look even further ahead and ensure the momentum that is building towards London is not lost post 2012, but serves to create a lasting legacy of British sporting success.

One of the greatest success stories of recent talent identification campaigns is that of former show-jumper, Victoria Thornley. The 21-year-old from Wales, was identified through the Sporting Giants programme in 2007 and subsequently gained a place on British Rowing’s World Class Start programme. In July this year, just over two years after attending a talent assessment day and first setting foot in a rowing boat, Thornley was standing on the podium at the U23 World Championships, as a member of the winning British women’s eight crew.

“I hadn’t sat in a boat two years ago” said Vicky, “but I took a chance and with a lot of hard work it’s paying off, I’ve had an amazing year.  You can do a lot in a short space of time if you put your mind to it.”

UK Sport’s Head of Athlete Development, Chelsea Warr, said: “Talent 2016 is about reducing the luck factor in sporting success. A number of individuals have been identified in previous searches over the last 2 years and had gone on to win medals at European and World championships. Just look what Victoria Thornley has achieved in just two years, and imagine what you could be capable of in the seven years we have until Rio.
There are lots of individuals out there who have no idea how good they could be and put into a structured programme and with lots of hard work the possibilities are genuine. Just put your hand up and come forward. “

Photography © Getty Images