Olympic legend Dame Kelly Holmes will return to the Island on Saturday 15 June for the final instalment of year one of the unique sports education programme launched for athletes and coaches targeting the upcoming Island Games and 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The Double Olympic Gold Medallist will be part of the Kelly Holmes Education team that will also include other international athletes, amongst them Nick Gillingham former World, European and Commonwealth Swimming Champion.
The event takes place less than a month before the 2013 Island Games in Bermuda and close to one year until the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. More than 60 local athletes and coaches are due to attend, including Louise Corkill, who was selected for the England Hockey Under 21 test series last month and Double English Cross Country Champion, Keith Gerrard who recently opened his track season over 10K in Boulder, Colorado.
Among those running master classes with specific technical advice for both coaches and sporting performers will be Mark Bennett and Katie Page, who have both previously delivered sessions for the Isle of Man Sporting Excellence programme. Former GB cyclist, Bryan Steel, two times Olympic medallist, former England hockey star Mel Clewlow, leading UK boxer Hannah Beharry and Drewe Broughton, a professional footballer for 17 years will be amongst the tutors leading sports master classes for the talented performers.
Looking forward to her return to the Island, Dame Kelly said:
“It is hard to believe we have almost reached the end of the first year of the programme. I am really looking forward to catching up with everyone; there have been some great performances recently by athletes on the programme.
“Kelly Holmes Education aims to inspire talented performers and coaches to be the best they can be and leave no stone unturned. I hope we have already passed on some valuable knowledge and shared and brought to life the experience of athletes who have achieved on the world stage at major championships.”
The Isle of Man Sporting Excellence programme sponsored by Creechurch Capital, Microgaming and SMP Partners, selected athletes who have demonstrated great promise in sporting disciplines from athletics, cycling and netball, to rugby, equestrian, archery and shooting. In addition, over 40 coaches have benefitted from specialist advice on the Sporting Excellence programme, enabling them to continuously improve their coaching practices for Manx athletes and ultimately raise the bar for individual and team performances across a wide range of sports.
One Island athlete who has already benefitted from the Sporting Excellence Programme is Harriet Pryke, who in only her third race of this season managed to achieve her 400m qualification time for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Working with coach Jared Deacon at Loughborough University, Harriet is focused on continuing her early season form into the UK Championships and Trials in July, and ultimately on to Glasgow next year.
Paul Bridson, Isle of Man Sports Development Manager for the Department of Community, Culture and Leisure, said:
“The Isle of Man Sporting Excellence programme has been a valuable tool in helping to motivate, train and prepare local sports people for a higher level of competition. This is an important session for many Isle of Man athletes as it so close to the Island Games and at a vital time for those looking ahead to the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Once again coaches and sporting performers will be able to benefit from the advice of experts like Mark and Katie, plus there will be the unique insight offered by other world class athletes, such as Nick Gillingham.
“Many of our most promising sports people have made giant strides thanks to the workshops they have attended and the expert guidance coaches have received under this programme. We are very grateful to the team at Kelly Holmes Education and our programme sponsors Creechurch Capital, Microgaming and SMP Partners.”
John Greenwood, CEO at Creechurch Capital, said:
“In our line of business, we regularly meet clients who have been very fortunate in life. As such, it feels entirely fitting that we help the next generation of talent to achieve their ambitions. We’re very proud to be able to help such a talented group of young people.”
Roger Raatgever, CEO of Microgaming, added:
“It’s been less than a year since the launch of the Isle of Man Sporting Excellence programme, but already we are witnessing what an enormous impact the programme is having on all the athletes involved. With the Island Games only a few weeks away, it is perfect timing to be welcoming Dame Kelly Holmes back to the Island for the next instalment of the programme.”
Managing Director of SMP Partners, Mark Denton added:
“It is great that Dame Kelly will be joining us for the next session to celebrate the end of year one of our unique programme. Once again, there is another strong team of mentors, tutors and coaches who will continue to inspire and motivate the programme participants.”
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