GO GOLD Funding Programme Open

GO GOLD Funding Programme 2015/16 Open for Applications

Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport (LRS) and its partners are pleased to support talented individuals through the GO GOLD Funding Programme.

The aim of GO GOLD is to support talented athletes who are being recognised by their National Governing Bodies of Sport as being our future Olympic, Paralympic, Special Olympic and Commonwealth Games participants.

The Funding Programme is spilt into two funding Awards – Podium and Performance.

The Podium Award – Funded by Leicestershire County Council, Leicester City Council and Rutland County Council, athletes from across Leicester-Shire & Rutland who are competing at Regional level or higher, can apply for funding.

The Performance Award – Funded by Charnwood Borough Council, Harborough District Council, Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council, Leicester City Council, Melton Borough Council, North West Leicestershire District Council, Oadby & Wigston Borough Council and Rutland County Council. Athletes from across Leicester-Shire & Rutland who are competing at County level or lower, can apply for funding.

Applicants must reside in Leicestershire, Leicester City or Rutland. The application process opened on Friday 4^th September and closes on Friday 30^th October 2015.

In 2014/15, LRS awarded 124 grants of £300, £500, £750 and £1,000 across 28 sports at the Podium Funding level. These included:

Kareem Queeley (Leicester City)

This has been a break-through year for Kareem who is now coming to the end of his 2^nd year of GO GOLD Funding. A product of the Leicester Warriors Basketball Club, Kareem has recently announced that has signed for Real Madrid Basketball Club. He played for them earlier in the year at the prestigious Minicopa in Gran Canaria which they won and in the process Kareem won the Most Valuable Player Award. This season has also seen Kareem represent England at both U15 and U16 level in competitions in Copenhagen and Lithuania.

Amy Griffiths (Oadby & Wigston)

This season has seen Amy win medals at the European Junior Championship at 1500m (Silver), British Universities Championships (Gold) and National U20 Championships (Silver). She has also competed in the Sainsbury's British Championships and a Diamond League event. In her 6^th year of GO GOLD funding it is fantastic to see Amy have such a successful year.

Ben Dijkstra (Charnwood)

In his 4^th year of funding, Ben has had yet another highly successful season. Some of his highlights included winning the Junior London Marathon in April, coming 3^rd in the European Triathlon Championship (against athletes 2 years older than himself) and being part of the team that won the European Youth Relay in Spain. Ben is ranked 1^st British Junior Male Triathlete and hope to build on becoming Young Olympic Champion.

Simon Mabey, father of Sam Mabey (Blaby) who plays Table Tennis and is ranked 2^nd nationally at Under 21 level said, "GO GOLD has supported Sam from a young age and he is living proof of the benefit of the support given. The GO GOLD funding has enabled us to increase his training, fund the trips abroad to train and play against the best players. With his dedication and talent and the support given through GO GOLD, Sam is knocking on the door of the senior National Team".