Elite athletes benefit from sportscotland funding

Friday 26 November 2004

sportscotland is delighted to announce funding totalling over £363,000 across a range of sports from badminton to boxing. These awards support the high performance programmes for each governing body, focusing on athlete support and coaching provision with the ultimate aim to increase the number of medallists on the world stage.

One of today’s recipients is badmintonscotland who received an award of £126,751. This includes £89,751 to support both senior and junior squads through the Athlete Support Programme (replaces TAP and national Junior Groups), £32,000 for the national coach position and £5,000 for performance coach development. For the senior squad, the funding will provide a comprehensive training and competition programme to strengthen their bid to qualify for the World Championships in California, USA next summer and achieve the necessary world ranking points to ensure seeding in the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

The main focus of badmintonscotland’s high performance plan is the restructuring of the National Junior Programme, which will be led by the recently appointed National Coach, Diana Koleva. This new approach is already having a positive impact on the competition success of the junior squad.

The programme for the junior squad covers strength and conditioning, player techniques, competition preparation, game strategy and tactics. Players will also benefit from continuous evaluation by coaches, where all aspects of their performances including physical fitness, technical awareness and tactical ability will be assessed with an overall aim to progress athletes to the Scottish Institute of Sport. By nurturing young talent in the formative stage of their development it is hoped that the foundation for the future success at the highest level can be established.

Anne Smillie, Chief Executive, badmintonscotland, said: “The continuing support from sportscotland enables us to provide a highly professional level of service to developing athletes and to offer them the facilities, advice, guidance and access to appropriate competition necessary for them to have the best possible chance of fulfilling their potential.”

Alastair Dempster, Chairman, sportscotland, said: “sportscotland is delighted to announce support to five sports totalling £363,098.00. We are committed to developing and supporting our athletes performing at elite level to reach their full potential and achieve on the world stage. I am confident that funding from our Athlete Support programme will make a significant contribution to this aim.”

A list of the athletes benefiting from the Athlete Support programme is detailed below.
Athlete Support is a new Lottery programme which merges and replaces the former Junior Groups and Talented Athlete programmes and provides a seamless, integrated pathway for the development of emerging talent.
This new programme supports the training and preparation programmes for elite athletes who have demonstrated the potential to win medals or equivalent, in significant international competitions and events such as the Olympics and Paralympics, now, and in the next four years.
All athletes who receive Athlete Support will also be supported by the new sportscotland medical scheme.

Identified athletes by governing bodies receiving athlete support November 2004

Badminton

Seniors
Craig Goddard, East Kilbride, G74
Andrew Bowman, Lanarkshire, ML4
Kirsteen McEwan, Renfrewshire, PA11
Susan Hughes, Glasgow, G77
Yuan Wemyss, Dumfries, DG1
Michelle Douglas, Motherwell, ML1

Juniors
Jillie Cooper, Edinburgh EH10
Martin Campbell, Edinburgh EH10
Paul Van Reitvelde, East Lothian, EH32
Emma Mason, Edinburgh EH10
Stephen McPhail, Glasgow, G33
Kieran Merilees, Glasgow
Catriona Lawlor, Cumbernauld, G68
Watson Briggs, Renfrew, PA4
Imogen Bankier, Glasgow, G62
Iain Nixon, Troon, KA10
Allan Nixon, Troon, KA10
Angus Gilmour, Troon, KA10
Andrew Simpson, Blairgowrie, PH12
Sean O’Farrell, Hamilton, ML3

Total: £126,751
£89,751 Athlete Support
£32,000 National Coach
£5,000 Performance Coach Development

Judo

Donna Robertson, Hamilton, MLT
Fiona Robertson, Hamilton, MLT
Louise Renicks, Coatbridge, ML5
Jenni Brien, Hamilton, ML3
Jennifer Davis, East Calder, EH53
Lindsay Sorrell, Balloch, G83
James Millar, Edinburgh EH11
Jamie Charles, Kilwinning, KA13
Iain Feenan, Dunfermline, KY12
Andrew Malone, Larkhall, ML9
Lee McGrorty, Bathgate, EH48
Euan Burton, Edinburgh, EH6
Steven Vidler, Whitburn, EH47

Total Award: £36,500 for Athlete Support

Amateur Boxing Scotland Ltd

Mark Hastie, Motherwell, ML1
Craig McEwan, Edinburgh, EH14,
Kenneth Anderson, Edinburgh, EH8
Usmaan Hussain, Perth, PH2
Ian McCabe, Lesmahagow, ML11
Ian Millarvie, Hamilton, Hamilton ML3
Mitch Prince, Cumbernauld, G67
Michael Warner, Shotts, ML7
Stephen Simmons, Edinburgh, EH11
James Ancliff, Laurencekirk
Gary McArthur, Glasgow
Kevin Green, Navy
Fundo Mhura, Edinburgh
Daryll Campbell, Buckhaven
James Toal, Army

Total award: £99,683.48
£96,683.48 Athlete Support
£3,000 Elite Coach Development

Ice Skating

John Kerr, Livingston, EH54
Sinead Kerr, Livingston, EH54
Pamela O’Connor, Cumbernauld, G68

Total: £13,500 Athlete Support

Scottish Squash

John White, Nottingham, NG12
Martin Heath, Oban, PA34
Pam Nimmo, Edinburgh, EH10
Sam Allan, Montrose, DD10
Matthew Bain, Edinburgh, EH14
Christopher Ferguson, Edinburgh, EH16
Claire Gray, Perth, PH1
Peter Halliday, Eyemouth, TD14
Robyn Hodgson, Aberdeen, AB32
Ian Jubb, Edinburgh, EH31
Douglas Kempsell, Edinburgh, EH16
Kevin Moran, Paisley, PA2
Alan Clyne, Inverness, IV8
Kirsty Craig, Glasgow, G61
Harry Leitch, Edinburgh, EH
Jamie Macaulay, Shetlands, ZE2
Greg McArthur, Aberdeen, AB51
Graham Melvin, Aberdeen, AB15
Joanna Morgan, Pitlochry, PH16
Iain Tennant, Falkirk, FK9

Total Award:£86,664
£83,328 Athlete Support
£3,336 Elite Coach Development