To support British athletes in achieving success at Olympic summer and winter Games, the British Olympic Association (BOA) announced today that it will once again deliver the Team GB Ambition Programme at the London 2012 Games. The programme will focus on athletes and coaches who aspire to represent Team GB at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games and Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Athletes and coaches from all 35 sports on the Olympic Programme for the next two Games (28 summer, seven winter) will be eligible for the Team GB Ambition Programme. Participants will be nominated by their respective National Governing Bodies, and approximately 200 athletes and coaches will be selected to take part. The Team GB Ambition Programme will be directed by Sarah Winckless, a bronze medalist in rowing at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, two-time World Champion, and current Chair of the BOA Athletes’ Commission; with oversight from Clive Woodward, Team GB Deputy Chef de Mission and BOA Director of Sport. Further support for the Team GB Ambition Progamme will be provided by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, who were introduced today as Official Ambassadors for Team GB and Paralympics GB for the London 2012 Games. The Team GB Ambition Programme has four specific objectives:
Programme participants will begin their journey with a two-day stay at the Team GB Prep Camp at Loughborough University, where they will take part in a Team GB orientation session, Olympic education programmes and their own version of ‘kitting out.’ From there, the participants will travel to London for three days of hands-on experience in the Olympic Games environment, including two sessions of sport competition (including, where possible, their own sport), a behind-the-scenes tour of Team GB House, and inspirational presentations from Team GB Ambassadors. The participants will be housed at Queen Mary University, where most members of the Team GB support staff for London 2012 will reside. The final element of the programme will be a one-day workshop following the Olympic Games, during which participants will reflect upon and share their experiences, and develop strategies to share the knowledge and understanding gained with others in their sport. The Team GB Ambition Programme was introduced in conjunction with the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and proved to be highly successful. The inaugural programme included 152 athletes and coaches across every sport on the summer Games programme. Among the aspiring Olympians who participated in the 2008 programme and are now vying for positions on Team GB for London 2012 are:
Andy Hunt, Team GB Chef de Mission and BOA Chief Executive:
Sarah Winckless, Head of Team GB Ambition Programme and BOA Athletes’ Commission Chair: