UK Athletics has appointed four athlete mentors to assist current senior and junior athletes in their long term preparations for major championships and their lives as professional athletes.
- Daley Thompson, Linford Christie, Steve Backley and KAtharine Merry to mentor athletes on path to glory
UK Athletics has appointed four athlete mentors to assist current senior and junior athletes in their long term preparations for major championships and their lives as professional athletes.
Double Olympic Champion Daley Thompson and Olympic Bronze Medallist Katharine Merry will work with Britain’s junior talent, whilst Olympic 100m Champion Linford Christie and Olympic Silver Medallist Steve Backley will work primarily in a coaching support capacity for senior athletes.
The appointment of the four mentors is an integral part of the overall Performance vision of UK Athletics and is funded as a result of Norwich Union’s Ł50 million commitment to athletics until 2012.
Each will be passing on their extensive experience to Britain’s most talented athletes to help the Norwich Union GB & NI Team at all levels achieve the long term goals of improving performances and medal tallies at major championships.
Both Christie and Backley will travel to Gothenburg to observe the senior Norwich Union GB & NI Team in action, whilst Merry will accompany the junior team to Beijing.
Dave Collins, performance director of UK Athletics comments: “We have chosen these four athletes as they have demonstrated the commitment required for their respective roles and have tremendous track records as athletes in their own right. They each have much to offer the sport of athletics and they have the instant respect of our senior and junior athletes.
“This is the first of the major changes announced as a result of our increased funding package from Norwich Union and we may introduce further mentors as time progresses. We are looking forward to working with all four to help ensure our teams are prepared both physically and mentally for the challenges ahead.”
Olympic Gold Medallist Darren Campbell, who will be competing at the European Championships, will also fly out to Beijing as an ambassador for UK Athletics to observe and learn how the mentors will operate. He said: “This is fantastic news for British athletics. I’ve been incredibly fortunate throughout my career to not only have Linford as my coach, but also as my mentor. My success on the track is testament to his ability as much as mine and I’m pleased that other athletes will have access to the same knowledge and experience that all four mentors have to offer."
Tanya Veingard, head of sponsorship and CSR for Norwich Union, said: “We are delighted to support the mentors and have seen first hand what a difference a mentor can make with our work with Kelly Holmes’ ‘On Camp with Kelly’ initiative. Two of the girls involved have already made the Norwich Union GB Team for Beijing and we will be watching them closely. Now, with Daley, Linford, Steve and Katharine, other athletes both senior and junior will have access to some of the most inspirational, motivational and iconic athletes Britain has produced.”
The Mentors
Linford Christie said: “It’s great that Norwich Union and UK Athletics have recognised the positive impact that mentors can have and I am looking forward to working with some existing athlete/coach partnerships to help athletes prepare mentally for the international stage. There is a lot of talent in this country and sometimes it is something as simple as self belief that is missing.”
Steve Backley added: “There are many former athletes like myself, Linford, Daley and Katharine who have a great deal to offer the sport. Since my retirement from competition, I’ve been developing as a coach and want to be able to help give the team as much of a competitive advantage as possible. If I can help in any way by improving the performance of individual athletes then we’ll all benefit.”
Daley Thompson is also looking forward to his role with the juniors said: “There are some great kids out there with plenty of talent, what I want to offer them is an insight into how to become a more professional athlete. I hope that I can pass on to them some of the experience I have and instil in them a more competitive attitude in the build up to future championships – be it the Commonwealth Games in Delhi or London 2012.”
Katharine Merry said: “I’m really looking forward to seeing the juniors in action in Beijing. Not only will it be a fantastic experience for them, but it will also show them what to expect in a major championship. I will be looking closely at all of them and identifying ways in which I can help bring my experiences to bear.”
-ends-For further media information, full biographies, interviews with Dave Collins, and photography:
UK Athletics: Helen Wyeth – 0870 998 6709 / 07718 526 367, Liz Birchall - 0870 998 6772 / 07718 526 363, Vas Charalambous - 0870 998 6757 / 07920 078 548
Norwich Union: Stuart Wareman (MEC Sponsorship) on 020 7803 2306 / 07733 010 799 or Tanya Veingard – 020 7662 3616 / 07800 695 269.
Mentor biographies
Linford Christie
Europe's greatest ever 100m sprinter, Linford became an Olympic 100m Champion after winning the Gold Medal in Barcelona in 1992. In an International career spanning seventeen years Linford competed over 60 times for his country and won more major championship medals (23) than any other British male sprinter. He was the British team captain from 1990, a year that saw him claim his second European Championships 100m title, and his first Commonwealth Games Gold, until his retirement from International Athletics in 1997. Linford became the first man to retain the World Cup 100m crown, and in 1994 won an amazing sixth European Cup title and a third World Cup title. This total was added to in 1995 and 1996 with European Cup victories in the 100m and 200m to make him the holder of eleven titles. Unbeaten by a British athlete for eight years (until 1996) over 100m, Linford’s fastest time, 9.87 seconds, was recorded when he won the 1993 World Championship in Stuttgart. Now, aside from coaching, Linford has an active role in his own Sports Management Company “Nuff” Respect.
Linford launched Street Athletics in June 2005 in conjunction with Reebok and Manchester City Council, in an attempt to find the raw sprinting talent that is being lost to other sports and computer games. The scheme has been adopted by the Government’s Respect initiative and launched as a national programme in 2006.
Daley Thompson
Daley claims more decathlon honours than anybody before or after him. He was the first person ever to hold the World, Olympic, Commonwealth and European titles at the same time, as well as the World Record. He was unbeaten in competition for nine years. He was Olympic Champion in 1980 and 1984, World Champion in 1983, European Champion in 1982 and 1986 and Commonwealth Champion in 1978, 1982, and 1986 and he set four World Records (8648 in 1980, 8730 and 8774 in 1982 and 8847 in his Olympic triumph in Los Angeles in 1984). Daley was simply the world’s greatest decathlete, drawing on a competitive attitude and ability that was unparalleled. Daley had an exuberant character on and off the track and as such his success and popularity made athletics front page news. In January 2004 Daley set up Daley Fitness – a fitness training business based on helping people to take their fitness to new levels, whilst at the same time helping them to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Daley was a leading ambassador for the winning London 2012 Olympic bid. He focused on highlighting the benefits that hosting the Olympics would bring to education and sport in schools, and he played a key role lobbying the international IOC members right down to the final vote in Singapore.
Steve Backley
Steve has been one of Britain’s most consistent and popular athletes for over a decade now and is firmly established as one of the all time greats of his sport having been ranked in the world top ten for javelin every year between 1989 and 2002. He first made his mark winning silver at the 1988 Junior World Championships and breaking the world junior record in the same year. He went on in his first two years as a senior athlete to be the world’s number one javelin thrower, the first time ever for a British athlete and in 1989 claimed the UK and Commonwealth records. After seven Gold medals, a world record, two Olympic silver medals and one bronze, Steve Backley finally hung up his javelin in 2004. However, his retirement from athletics did not mean a break with the sport that he loves and Steve took on a key role with BBC Radio 5Live and their athletics commentary.
Katharine Merry
Katharine was one of Britain’s most outstanding female athletes. Having been the fastest girl in the world aged 14 she then, 12 years later, became the fastest woman in the world over 400m, as well as picking up an Olympic medal.
Labelled as one of Britain’s most talented female sprinters ever, Katharine’s success at junior level was outstanding. With a string of achievements under her belt, Katharine’s real moment of glory was at the 2000 Olympics where she collected the Bronze medal in the 400m, breaking the magical 50sec barrier for the first time. Katharine retired in 2005 and has since enjoyed a successful media career, working with Radio5 Live, BBC News 24 & BBC Breakfast, BBC Wales and Sky Sports to name but a few. Katharine also became an ambassador for UK Athletics and Norwich Union and promoted their grassroots sports initiative on a regular basis.
Notes to editors:
About UK Athletics
As the national governing body for the sport of athletics, UK Athletics is dedicated to raising standards in every event, every region and every age group. UK Athletics works closely together with over 1,400 clubs, hundreds of schools and local authorities across the UK, and Home Countries athletics associations to grow talent and ensure that athletics remains the nation’s favourite Olympic sport. Its three primary roles are:
- Governance
UK Athletics is wholly responsible for developing and implementing the rules and regulations of the sport, including everything from anti-doping, health and safety and welfare, to training and education for coaches and officials and facilities licensing. - Development
UK Athletics is committed to improving and developing the sport from grassroots right through to podium and is proud to run a competition structure that meets the needs of athletes at all levels and abilities. Nurturing athletes of all ages and preparing them for the world stage is achieved through continual investment in facilities, clubs and performance centres, developing the finest coaches, employing the very best officials, and offering medical expertise that is second to none. - Funding
As a business, UK Athletics is responsible for securing commercial partners and sponsorship to fund and help develop the sport. UK Athletics is proud to have the biggest sponsorship deal outside of football with Norwich Union, along with support from the National Lottery and UK Sport.
Norwich Union & UK Athletics
Norwich Union has been the number one commercial sponsor of UK Athletics since 1999 with a significant amount of money invested in developing the sport at grassroots level. This support will enable every child in the UK to have the opportunity to access athletics by 2012, and provide extensive support to teachers to deliver the sport in schools.
Norwich Union’s support of athletics at every level will add value to the existing World Class Pathway investment in elite athletes, provide more opportunities to help identify future champions, and also help prepare children for life challenges through increased sporting participation.
For more information on how to get involved in UK Athletics and Norwich Union initiatives, visit www.ukathletics.net or call UK Athletics on 0870 998 6800.
About Norwich Union
Norwich Union is the UK's biggest insurer. With a focus on insurance for individuals and small businesses, Norwich Union insures one in five households, one in seven motor vehicles and around 800,000 businesses. Norwich Union insurance products are available through a variety of distribution channels including brokers, corporate partners such as banks and building societies and Norwich Union Direct.
Norwich Union is also a leading provider of life, pensions and investment products and one of the largest financial adviser (FA) providers. FAs provide over 70% of the company's long-term savings business in the UK.
Norwich Union is part of Aviva, the world’s sixth-largest insurance group.