Team GB cyclists Joe Fry (Potters bar), Joe Holt (Llanelli), Ellis Kirkbride (Carlisle), Charlotte Broughton (Leicester), Grace Garner (Leicester), Abbie Mae Parkinson (Liversidge) all take to the roads of Utrecht for the boys and girls time trial today. Utrecht 2013 is the first time that girls road cycling has been on the EYOF programme.
Speaking ahead of the event, Broughton said: “Ever since I was a little girl watching Victoria Pendleton on the TV I have wanted to be an Olympian. “So to get the chance to go to an event like this one is just so exciting for me, we have all this amazing Team GB kit and now I cannot wait to get out there and compete. “I have raced in Holland before and have done all the National series of races over here so while most of my practice is on the track, I have plenty of experience on the road.”
At the Sports Centre Galgenwaard Team GB men’s artistic gymnastics (MAG) team of Brinn Bevan (Benfleet), Gauis Thompson (Torbay) and Nile Wilson (Paignton) kick start their action with the MAG team event. Earlier this year at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) Wilson lead the team to gold ahead of China and Team Leader Barry Collie (Halifax) is hoping that they can produce more of the same. Collie said: “The boys training has gone really well over the past two days and they are looking in good shape for the team event tomorrow. The Russians will be tough competition but I am sure the boys will rise to the challenge and get Team GB on the medal table.” Sixteen year-old Thompson who missed the AYOF earlier this year due to injury said: “I missed AYOF because of a wrist injury so I am so happy to be here with the chance to compete," “It is a real privilege and we will be going for gold in the team event and the individually I will be hoping to make as many finals as I possibly can. “The level is very high at these competitions and there will be some new juniors coming up but hopefully we can get a medal.” European Cadet bronze medallist Peter Miles (Bristol) is the first of the judokas to compete for GB at the EYOF 2013 when he takes to the mat in the boys’ under 55kg category.
Miles said: “I am really looking forward to competing tomorrow. Winning a bronze at the Cadets last month has given me confidence going into this competition and I am hoping I can get the Team GB judokas off to a winning start.”
Over at Swimming Pool De Krommerijn Team GB’s swimmers have a busy day in the pool, competing in ten events. Suleman Butt (Aberdeen), Luke Gunning (Oprington), Laura Stephens (Wix), Charlie Attwood (Bridgewater), Abbie Wood (Buxton), Duncan Scott (Alloa), and Bethany Newton (Bridgewater) all compete in their respective individual events. “This will be my first big international event and I cannot wait to get in the water and start racing," said Attwood. “I am ranked first in the country for my age group at 100m breaststroke so I'm hoping to go well in that event. “But my aim is to swim well enough to set some new personal bests, if that is good enough to get me into some finals and challenge for medals then that would be great." Scott then joins Martyn Walton (Stevenage), Nico Campbell (Chesnut), and Lewis Clough (Manchester) in the boy’s 4x100m freestyle relay, whilst Georgia Coates (Leeds) teams up with Darcy Deakin (Sheffield), Rebecca Dalling (Ammanford), and Hannah Featherstone (Billingham) in the girl’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
"I'm excited but slightly nervous at the same time, I have never raced anything like this before so I'm not sure how it’s going to go," said Deakin. "I don’t know much about the people I will be racing against but I want to swim fast in my first races so that hopefully I can make a few finals and go from there." The tennis quartet of Thomas Wright (Beckenham), Harry Simpson (Hull), Eden Richardson (Ellesmere Port) and Sophie Drakeford-Lewis (Reading) return to the Den Hommel Tennis Centre. Wright and Simpson play their second round singles matches before teaming up to compete in the boy’s doubles.
“Tom and I have played together before at an ITF event, we got on very well and we work well as a team in doubles so I'm looking forward to it,” said Simpson.
“We have both won our first matches so hopefully we can take confidence into the doubles as well. “We will need to play a few games to get back used to it, but once we find our rhythm we will be fine.”
Richardson and Drakeford-Lewis also team up in the girl’s doubles where they will look to put yesterday's singles disappointment behind them.