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Kent Athletes headed to Beijing 2008
With the Beijing Games just a day away a number of athletes who are either Kent born-and-bred or who train in Kent have now travelled to China to compete for Great Britain in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The GB squad for the Beijing Olympic Games consists of nine athletes from Kent. This marks a similar number of athletes to the numbers Kent sent to Athens in 2004. The Olympic nine are:
Lisa Dobriskey (from Ashford, competing in the Athletics (1500m sprint)
Ashley Jackson (from Chatham, competing in the Men’s Hockey)
Melanie Clewlow (from Dover, competing in the Women’s Hockey)
Hayley Brown (from Canterbury, competing in the Women’s Hockey (reserve))
Ollie Freeman (from Cranbrook, competing in the Triathlon (reserve))
Jamie Staff (from Ashford, competing in the Cycling (men’s team sprint))
Jane Gregory (from Bromley, competing in the Equestrian Dressage)
Ellen Gandy (from Bromley, competing in the Butterfly Swimming)
Montell Douglas (who competes for the Blackheath and Bromley Harriers AC Athletics and will be competing in Beijing in the 100m sprint)
Team GB has also recently announced that Kent is sending six paralympians to Beijing compared to last time at Athens 2004 when we sent one paralympian. Unsurpsiingly it is therefore the first Paralympic Games for most of our athletes, who are:
Alastair McKean (from Canterbury, competing in the Adaptive Rowing coxed four crew)
James Morgan (from Deal, competing in the Adaptive Rowing coxed four crew)
William Bayley (From Groombridge, competing in the Table Tennis- standing disabled class 7)
Nathan Milgate (from Herne Bay, competing in the Air Rifle Shooting- R1 10m class)
Ben Quilter (who although from Brighton, Sussex, trains and lives in/at Dartford Judo Centre, so we count him as a Kent lad! Ben’s sport is visually impaired judo)
Dervis Konuralp (from Rochester, competing in the Swimming)
We wish all of our athletes the very best of luck!
Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls get helping hand from P&O
Top young athletes from across Kent have clinched the backing of P&O Ferries to help them fulfil their Olympic and Paralympic dreams.
In February the squad of five sailed on board the Pride of Kent from Dover to launch the P&O Ferries Talented Athlete Programme.
Simon Johnson, Sales and Marketing Director of P&O Ferries awarded grants of £3,000 each, marking the start of a five year programme to support the athletes in their ambitions for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The P&O Ferries Talented Athlete Programme is part of the company’s £250,000 sponsorship of Kent County Council’s Sport, leisure and Olympics service.
The P&O Ferries Talented Athlete programme squad comprises:
- Lewis Gray, 15, from Benenden (table tennis)
- Hannah Moon, 16, from Deal (rowing)
- Vicky Silk, 16, from Folkestone (athletics)
- Chloe Martin, 17, from Tonbridge (sailing)
- Nathan Milgate, 20, from Herne Bay (shooting)
More details of Kent's rising stars
A video of the launch is also available at www.kenttv.com – simply then search for P&O Young Olympians.
British Open Training Camp in Dartford hosts international visitors
Over 70 participants from across the UK, Canada, Iceland, France and the USA recently attended a five day judo training camp at the Dartford Judo Club. The delegates included the National under 21 teams from Canada and the UK, and Iceland's Senior National team.
The camp proved to be a real success for both the competitors and their coaches, with extensive training time complemented by social events to visit London, Leeds Castle and a typical Kentish pub! A range of partners supported the event including The Colour House Printers, Dartford Judo Club Volunteers, Dartford Borough Council and Kent County Council's Sport, Leisure and Olympics service, which not only contributed a grant towards the camp, but used the camp as an opportunity to explore the practicalities around hosting future Pre Games Training Camps for the London 2012 Games.
Seminar for all venues featured in the Offical Pre Games Training Camp Guides
A seminar for all South East venues that have been successful in their efforts to be featured in one or both of the London 2012 Official Pre Games Training Camp Guides is to be held on Wednesday June 18, at a venue in the centre of the South East Region. Kent has 31 and Medway 5 venues recognised within the Olympic Guide, with 7 and 1 respectively within the Paralympic Guide. Venues will be contacted directly regarding this event. Local authorities in which venues are based are also welcome to attend. Further details from paddyherlihy@seeda.co.uk
Top Paralympians could be heading to Kent
Elite Paralympians wanting to train ahead of the 2012 Paralympic Games could be coming to Kent following news that eight of the county’s sports venues have been selected for the official brochure promoting facilities available to disabled athletes from across the world.
In March, Kent was recognised for having the most pre games training camps for Olympians in the country and the latest announcement is a significant achievement improving the county’s chances of welcoming top level sportspeople to the area.
The British Paralympic Association made its decision after a list of possible venues was submitted by Kent County Council as part of the Kent Campaign for the 2012 Games to generate long-term benefits to the county. Venues were assessed against many strict criteria including access, nearby accommodation and transport links to London.
The eight selected from Kent and Medway to help Paralympians train and which will be promoted to international teams at the Beijing Games are:
- Dartford Judo Centre (Judo)
- Sevenoaks School (Archery, Athletics, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Fencing, Wheelchair Rugby, Wheelchair Tennis)
- University of Kent, Canterbury (Archery, Boccia, 5-a-side, 7-a-side football, Goalball, Powerlifting, Table-tennis, Sitting Volleyball, Wheelchair Basketball, Fencing, Wheelchair Rugby)
- Polo Farm Sports Club, Canterbury (Wheelchair Tennis)
- Canterbury High School (Athletics, Boccia, 5-a-side Football, Sitting Volleyball, Wheelchair Tennis, Wheelchair Fencing)
- Stour Leisure Centre, Ashford (Boccia, 5-a-side Football, Goalball, Table Tennis, Sitting Volleyball, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Fencing, Wheelchair Rugby)
- Valley Leisure Centre, Folkestone (Boccia, Sitting Volleyball, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Fencing, Wheelchair Rugby)
- Medway Park (Athletics, Boccia, Goalball, judo, Sitting Volleyball, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Fencing, Wheelchair Rugby)
KCC Cabinet Member for Community Services Mike Hill said:
“This is excellent news and something very exciting for Kent that elite Paralympians and Olympians could be coming to our local facilities to train before competing at the London 2012 Games. International visiting athletes will help promote Kent to the world and bring economic benefit to the area. It really heightens our anticipation for the Olympics and Paralympics coming to the UK.”
Map showing Pre-Games Training Camp venues in Kent
Follow this link to hear Chris Hespe, Head of KCC's Sport, Leisure and Oympics Service interviewed by Invicta FM about London 2012's latest announcement about Pre Games Training Camps (link opens in new window)