More Kent athletes than ever join Team GB

26 July 2012

Kent has extra cause to cheer on Team Great Britain at the opening ceremony of London 2012 on Friday as 12 athletes from the county will be competing on the world stage – the highest number ever to come from Kent.

At the Beijing Games in 2008, there were eight local athletes who either trained or were born here. They included Lisa Dobriskey from Ashford and Ashley Jackson from Tonbridge, who will both compete again this year.

As everyone gears up for the Opening Ceremony on Friday 27 July, the Kent performers will be getting ready to compete and they will include:

• Dartford Adam Gemili – 100m athletics
• Tunbridge Wells Bryony Shaw – windsurfing
• Ashford Lisa Dobriskey – athletics, Tom Ransley – rowing
• Tonbridge and Malling Ashley Jackson – hockey, Jack Green – 400m hurdles
• Maidstone  Natalie Seymour – hockey (reserve), Sean King and Jack Waller who train at Invicta Water Polo Club.
• Canterbury William Fox-Pitt – equestrian eventing
• Chatham Kat Driscoll – trampolining
• Gillingham Ryan Bertrand – football

To follow the schedule of events during London 2012 and find out more about the competitions visit the Kent Sport website.

A number of top level performers have been receiving support from Kent County Council’s Free Access for National Sportspeople (FANS) scheme which works with leisure centres, gyms, sports professionals and local authorities.

World champion runner Lisa Dobriskey is an Ambassador for the FANS scheme and said: “To be the best you need to train like the best and the range and quality of the facilities Kent has to offer allows athletes on the scheme to do just that.”

Members are offered free sessions at sporting facilities and can make use of discounted physiotherapy, equipment and clothing. Since it was launched in 1998, there are now hundreds of athletes, representing a wide range of sports, receiving support.

KCC Cabinet member for Customer and Communities Mike Hill said: “The number of athletes from Kent who have been selected is a tremendous achievement and testament to their hard work and dedication. The FANS scheme and the Kent School Games are just some of the ways in Kent we can help people reach their potential and we hope even more will be inspired by those competing at London 2012.”
The Kent School Games (KSG) help 30,000 young people from the county to compete in their own Games and enjoy the excitement of representing their school and area. The aim is to inspire young people to get into sport and celebrate the sporting talents of Kent’s young sportspeople. Dartford’s Adam Gemili, who has been selected for Team Great Britain took part in the County Schools Athletics Championships, part of the KSG just two years ago.

The KSG were set up by Kent County Council and has been used as a model of the National School Games.