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Dame Kelly Holmes Backs Manchester Talent
Monday, 26th October 2009
Dame Kelly Holmes, the Double Olympic Champion and Chair of her charity the DKH Legacy Trust, is under starter’s orders for a two-day event in Manchester designed to inspire the region's most promising athletes as part of the BT Backing Talent initiative.
She will be working with 100 talented young sports performers - aged 13 to 21 - as well as their coaches, parents and carers from across Manchester and the North West region at the BT Backing Talent Manchester event.
Sponsored by BT as part of their commitment to London 2012, the BT Backing Talent Programme gives ‘up and coming’ stars of the future the chance to find out what it takes to succeed in elite sport. They will take part in a range of practically based workshops and activities across the two days helping them to learn what it takes to reach the very top.
As well as Dame Kelly, the young people will also work with other Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic Medallists like Sarah Stevenson Olympic Bronze Medallist (Taekwondo ) Beijing, Bryan Steele, Olympic Silver Medallist (Cycling) and current members of the England Rugby League Team . All of these top athletes in their field will work with the young sporting talent helping them to understand what it really takes to become a world class performer.
The charity, which is running the event, was set up in July 2008 by Dame Kelly , who retired from competitive athletics after winning two Gold Medals in Athens 2004. It aims to inspire young people to find and fulfil their potential in sport or in life by using world class sports performers as role models and mentors.
The young athletes who will be attending BT Backing Talent Manchester have been selected by their National Governing Bodies of Sport and Manchester Greater Sport and include regional and national level performers in Athletics, Basketball, Triathlon, Badminton, Volleyball, Modern Pentathlon and Rugby League.
During the two days, the young people will take part in a series of challenging workshops and practical activities which include team building, nutrition, communication skills, working with the media, and effective training techniques, lead by Olympic and Paralympic medallists. The event will not be for the faint hearted: the young athletes will even be put through their paces by the elite performers in the pool in an aqua jogging session!
Dame Kelly Holmes said: “Never mind Britain’s Got Talent, this week it’s Manchester’s got Talent! There are so many promising young performers in this region and it is fantastic to be able, through the BT Backing Talent programme, with other elite sports performers, to pass on our skills and experience to the up and coming stars of the future.”
Mike Blackburn, BT’s Regional Director for the North West said: “As the official communications services partner for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games - and title sponsor of the BT Paralympic World Cup held annually here in Manchester - it’s fantastic to be able to bring the inspirational power of the Games to local young people in Manchester. By supporting the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust BT is helping talented young sports people in our region to achieve their full potential.”
Fran Nicholls, BT ambassador for London 2012 and a BT employee, said: “I’m really happy to be involved with the BT Backing Talent event in Manchester. As a BT Ambassador for London 2012 and a 2012 hopeful myself, I know that it’s really important that young people have role models that can encourage them and support them in sport."
Richard Saunders, from Manchester Greater Sport said: "It is great to be working with the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust on BT Backing Talent Manchester. The support of the elite athletes, combined with the unique support of the programme is something the talented young performers of the North West just could not miss out on.”
The BT Backing Talent programme was first piloted on October 31st 2008 at The Cumberland School in Newham East London, and over the past year has supported 60 targeted young performers (ages 13-21), and is now expanding to reach talented young sports performers in a range of sports across the North West.
