Next generation of talented athletes to be supported by Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions scheme  

Up-and-coming athletes in Westminster are set to gain much-needed support as part of a sports talent development programme.

Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions scheme, in partnership with Westminster’s Champions of the Future programme, is now in its eighth year and has helped more than 5,000 athletes to achieve their sporting potential by providing free access to Everyone Active’s 230-plus leisure facilities.

These include Moberly Sports Centre, Paddington Recreation Ground, Little Venice Sports Centre, The Porchester Centre, Church Street Community and Leisure Centre, Marshall Street Leisure Centre, Queen Mother Sports Centre, St Augustine Sports Centre, Academy Sport and Jubilee Community Centre.

Among the athletes accepted on the scheme in Westminster this year are:

• Maia Bouchier, Cricket, who was recently awarded an England Women’s Central contract. She was part of the Southern Brave team that won The Hundred trophy, recognised as the 4th highest run scorer overall.
• Bianca Williams, Athletics 200m and Relay, who, in 2023, became a World Relay Bronze Medallist and reached a personal best that is 5th on the British all-time list. She is striving to make the Olympic Finals in Paris this summer.

Alongside free access to Everyone Active centres, Sporting Champions will also receive valuable mentoring and guidance from an impressive panel of Elite athletes, some of whom look set to compete at Paris 2024.

The scheme’s all-star line-up of decorated Olympians and Paralympians includes Jennifer and Jessica Gadirova, Lutalo Muhammad, Richard Kilty, Lauren Steadman and Maisie Summers-Newton, while new to the panel for 2024 is GB sprint star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey*.

These Elite athletes will share their experience and expertise through group mentoring sessions, covering topics including mental wellbeing, nutrition, managing finances, social media and media training. 

Olympic silver medallist Colin Jackson will also continue to support the scheme through his role as an Ambassador, working alongside the Elite athletes to make sport more accessible within local communities.

Colin said: “I’m passionate about nurturing young talent and the Sporting Champions scheme goes above and beyond in this mission. With the Olympics and Paralympics taking place in Paris this summer, the programme takes on even greater significance in 2024. Seeing these future champions flourish fuels my excitement for what’s to come.”

The Sporting Champions scheme has poured more than £2million into young athletes across the country, proving its commitment to grassroots sporting excellence.

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, no fewer than 30 Sporting Champions competed, taking home five gold, two silver and three bronze medals.

Andy Davison, Everyone Active’s area contract manager, said: “Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions scheme has been very successful in providing exceptional support to emerging talent and we are delighted to be once again supporting athletes from Westminster on their journey to success.  

“It’s fantastic to see how the scheme has expanded over the years, now providing more than 1,000 athletes nationwide with access to top-quality training facilities and support. 

“As a leisure provider working in partnership with Westminster City Council, we feel it is important to cater for all sections of the community. We hope to continue making a real difference to our athletes’ success and are excited to see what the relaunch of the scheme will bring this year.”  

Coreen Brown, Head of Sport, Leisure and Active Communities at Westminster City Council, said: “Now in its 14th year, Westminster City Council’s Champions of the Future scheme is a great way to support Westminster’s promising athletes realise their true sporting potential and help them strive to achieve their goals, whether it’s their dream of winning gold medals, breaking world records, or being as good as they can possibly be. We are proud to partner with Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions scheme to assist athletes realise their dream.”

To find out more about the Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions scheme, visit www.easportingchampions.com or follow @easportingchamps on Instagram. For further information on Everyone Active, visit www.everyoneactive.com 
 
*The Sporting Champions scheme’s panel of Elite athletes consists of: 
 
Lauren Steadman MBE: 
Lauren has competed in four Paralympics, in both swimming and paratriathlon, winning gold in paratriathlon at Tokyo 2020 in the women’s individual PTS5 race. She is also a three-times world champion and a seven-times European champion. Lauren now has a new target – she is aiming to compete in cross-country skiing at the Winter Paralympics.  
 
Lutalo Muhammad: 
Lutalo is the most successful male in British taekwondo history, winning bronze and silver medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, respectively. He also won the gold medal in the -87kg class at the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships. 
 
Maisie Summers-Newton: 
Para swimmer who won two Paralympic golds at Tokyo 2020, as well as multiple world, European and Commonwealth titles. Maisie was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to swimming. In 2023, Maisie won the Overall Athletes categories in the Citi Para Swimming World Series and was awarded Para-Swimmer of the Year at the British Swimming Awards.
 
Jennifer and Jessica Gadirova: 
Part of the Team GB bronze medal-winning gymnastics line-up at Tokyo 2020. Jessica was also crowned all-around champion at the European Championships 2023
 
Richard Kilty: 
A core member of the Team GB sprint relay team, Richard is one of the few British athletes to have won medals in every major indoor and outdoor championships, including gold in the Commonwealth Games and the European Championships as a relay runner and gold in the European and world indoors as a 60m specialist. 

Harry Aikines-Aryeetey:
Another Team GB sprint relay star, Harry has won medals at each of the past three Commonwealth Games, including gold at Birmingham 2022 and Gold Coast 2018. He is also a three-times gold medallist at the European Championships and won individual bronze in the 100m in the 2014 Europeans.