2009 UK School Games Champion Ambassadors

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

UK School Games President Richard Caborn MP hosted a reception at the House of Commons on Monday 26 January to welcome the 2009 UK School Games Champion Ambassadors.

This year’s group of UK School Games Champion Ambassadors are a combination of gold medal winners from previous Games along with those selected for their potential performance status in relation to London 2012. All 12 Champion Ambassadors represent the four home countries and a range of sports including Paralympic events.

Each Champion Ambassador will play an active role in contributing to the future development of the UK School Games and raise its profile as patrons, while meeting annually with Richard to provide an insight into the event as part of the Athletes Commission.

From being the driving force behind the concept of the UK School Games to his current position of President of the multi-sport event for elite young athletes of school-age, Richard has worked closely with the Youth Sport Trust.

In his role of President of the UK School Games, Richard will continue to play an active role in all future Games and will also chair an Athletes Commission consisting of the Champion Ambassadors, the first of whom he introduced in May last year.

UK School Games President Richard Caborn MP said: “…Through the Champion Ambassador programme it is our aim to develop a group of young athletes who are not only able to be role models to their peers, but also to articulate the athletes’ own perspective on their sporting experiences across a variety of sports to influence the future.”

Funding through the Department of Culture, Media and Sport has been awarded to the Youth Sport Trust through Legacy Trust UK, to develop the UK School Games each year until 2011.

Later this year, record numbers of young athletes will compete at the 2009 UK School Games, when it is staged at six venues in Cardiff, Newport and Swansea from 3 to 6 September.

The 2009 UK School Games Champion Ambassadors are:

• Athletics: Ciara Mageehan (Northern Ireland)
• Disability Athletics: Daniel Lucker (Wales)
• Badminton: Sam Dobson (England)
• Fencing: Matt D’Agostino (Scotland)
• Gymnastics: Lizzie Beddoe (Wales)
• Hockey: Georgie Twigg (England)
• Judo: Brandon Dodge (Wales)
• Swimming: Craig Hamilton (Scotland)
• Disability Swimming: Eleanor Simmonds (England)
• Table Tennis: Emma Vickers (England)
• Disability Table Tennis: Andrew Harper (England)
• Volleyball: Hannah Carey (England)