Homepage

We use cookies to track and analyse visitors to our website

These cookies help make the website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation. They are necessary for our website to function and cannot be switched off.
These cookies gather information to understand how visitors interact with the website, such as how many people are using our website of which pages are popular to help us improve user experience. Switching off these cookies will mean that we cannot gather information to improve the user experience.
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by a third party provider whose services we have added to our website. Switching off these cookies mean that areas of our website cannot work properly.

Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient.

The law states that we can store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this site.

For all other types of cookies we need your permission.

This site uses different types of cookies. Some cookies are placed by third party services that appear on our pages.

You can at any time change or withdraw your consent from the Cookie Declaration on our website.

Learn more about who we are, how you can contact us and how we process personal data in our Privacy Policy.

Skip navigation
  • About us
    • Our Directors team
    • Our Board and panels
    • Strategic plan 2021-31
    • Annual reports
    • Our funders
    • Who we work with
    • Tenders
    • Contact us
  • Our work
    • Investing in sport
    • Investing in events
    • Powering positive change and social impact
    • International relations
    • Learning and development
    • Protecting and Transforming Olympic and Paralympic sport
    • Leadership and governance
    • Coaching
  • Events
  • News
  • Sports
    Olympic sports
    • Archery
    • Aquatics
    • Artistic Swimming
    • Athletics
    • Badminton
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Bobsleigh
    • Boxing (Amateur)
    • View all
    Paralympic sports
    • Boccia
    • Goalball
    • Para-Archery
    • Para-Athletics
    • Para-Badminton
    • Para-Canoe
    • Para-Climbing
    • Para-Cycling
    • Para-Equestrian Dressage
    • View all
  • Resources
    • A Code for Sports Governance
    • Organisational Health
    • Para performance strategic framework
    • Board minutes
    • Complaints and whistleblowing
    • Eligibility
    • Fraud, corruption and bribery
    • Transparency and open data
    • HR policy templates
    • Pregnancy guidance
    • Reports and research
    • The Whyte Review
  • Jobs in sport
    • Working at UK Sport
    • Explore career pathways
    • Find jobs in sport
    • Advertise sport jobs
  • About us
    • Our Directors team
    • Our Board and panels
    • Strategic plan 2021-31
    • Annual reports
    • Our funders
    • Who we work with
    • Tenders
    • Contact us
  • Our work
    • Investing in sport
    • Investing in events
    • Powering positive change and social impact
    • International relations
    • Learning and development
    • Protecting and Transforming Olympic and Paralympic sport
    • Leadership and governance
    • Coaching
  • Events
  • News
  • Sports
    Olympic sports
    • Archery
    • Aquatics
    • Artistic Swimming
    • Athletics
    • Badminton
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Bobsleigh
    • Boxing (Amateur)
    • View all
    Paralympic sports
    • Boccia
    • Goalball
    • Para-Archery
    • Para-Athletics
    • Para-Badminton
    • Para-Canoe
    • Para-Climbing
    • Para-Cycling
    • Para-Equestrian Dressage
    • View all
  • Resources
    • A Code for Sports Governance
    • Organisational Health
    • Para performance strategic framework
    • Board minutes
    • Complaints and whistleblowing
    • Eligibility
    • Fraud, corruption and bribery
    • Transparency and open data
    • HR policy templates
    • Pregnancy guidance
    • Reports and research
    • The Whyte Review
  • Jobs in sport
    • Working at UK Sport
    • Explore career pathways
    • Find jobs in sport
    • Advertise sport jobs
Popular content on our site
Prepare to “Find Your Greatness” as search for UK's future athletes gets underway The National Lottery operator Allwyn launches ChangeMakers fund for athletes as they make a difference back home Breadth of success targeted as British Olympic and Paralympic performance aspirations confirmed for Paris Investing in sport Strategic plan 2021-31
News

More talent identified for Team GB

Published 14 June 2012

Team GB London 2012 selections this week have included two more athletes identified by talent ID programmes run by the UK Talent Team (UK Sport and the EIS). Richard Jefferies and Angela Hannah were today selected to the GB sprint canoeing team, to take part in the Men’s C1 1000m and 200m and Women’s K4 500m, respectively.

Richard Jefferies first set foot in a canoe in 2007, when he applied to take part in the Sporting Giants talent ID scheme. Launched by five-time Olympic rowing champion Sir Steve Redgrave in 2007, the campaign sought tall and talented athletes with the potential to compete at the 2012 Olympic Games, initially in the sports of rowing, handball and volleyball. Richard, who applied for Sporting Giants alongside his twin brother, didn’t quite fit the profile for rowing but was instead directed towards sprint canoeing.

Richard, who gave up a space at Loughborough University to pursue canoeing, said: “Four years ago representing Team GB was one of those dreams along with being a rock star and dating a super model. Now thanks to UK Sport and GB Canoeing one of those dreams is now reality and I can’t thank them enough for helping to make it a dream come true.”

Former hockey and tennis player Angela Hannah was new to the sport when she was spotted at the British Indoor Rowing Championships representing Loughborough University and selected for a women’s sprint kayaking fast track programme run by GB Canoeing alongside the UK Talent Team.  
Angela said: “The last few weeks of selection have been a real whirlwind. I am really excited to be selected but still struggling to believe it! I am looking forward to working with the rest of our crew to produce our best possible performance at the Games.”

The UK Talent Team has supported GB Canoeing in the area of talent identification, confirmation and development since 2007, working in partnership to run both a women’s fast track kayak programme and a men’s fast track canoe programmes. Athletes have been recruited based on international and domestic talent gap analysis, identifying opportunities at the international level to provide an injection of talent into the GB Canoeing world class development programme.

Mark Hoile, GB Canoeing National Talent Coach, said: “The Olympic selection of Angela and Richard shows that with the right talent and hard work, you can produce athletes capable of international success in timeframes shorter than the accepted norm.

"As one of the coaches involved in their initial selection and early development it is satisfying to see both athletes begin to realise the potential we saw in them. They are part way on their Olympic journey and now it’s time for them to deliver their best Olympic performance.”

Chelsea Warr, Head of Athlete Development at UK Sport, said: “To pursue excellence to the highest level takes an enormous amount of courage, commitment and tenacity. The harsh reality is that very few ever make it but those that do leave us in awe of what is possible when you ruthlessly pursue a goal.

“Angela and Richard’s selection to Team GB is remarkable and living proof that mature-age talent identification techniques can add value to traditional athlete recruitment methods.

“We are extremely proud of Angela and Richard’s achievements and would like to congratulate Mark Hoile and Alex Nikonorov, their founding coaches, who have worked in partnership with us to inspire them towards their London 2012 goal; now a reality for them both.”      

Natalie Dunman, Lead Talent Scientist at the English Institute of Sport, said: “We began working with GB Canoeing in 2007, supporting them in the area of Talent ID and Development to ensure the net was cast as far and wide as possible to identify and develop the best possible talent for 2012 and beyond.

“Transferring athletes in from other sports and developing them in relatively short time frames is a massive challenge involving a fine balance of scientific intelligence and coaching art, but one that the athletes, coaches and support staff were eager to take on.

“It’s great to see Angela and Richard progressing so quickly; their Olympic selection is testament to the athletes’ hard work and the specialist development programmes and coaching put in place to support them.”

For more information on Richard Jefferies visit his profile
For more information on Angela Hannah visit her profile

These selections add to the two Sporting Giants already selected to Team GB in the sport of Rowing, Helen Glover and Victoria Thornley.
 

Share
  • X
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

News

Participants of the UK Sport Athlete To Coach programme taking part in a fireside conversation
UK Sport launches new programmes to support coaching across the high-performance community
21 May 2025
Headshot of Professor Nick Webborn CBE
Professor Nick Webborn CBE appointed new Chair of UK Sport
19 May 2025
Decoration image with the logos of UK Sport and Weirdo
Transforming fan experience: UK Sport introduces new engagement strategies for Olympic and Paralympic sports
15 May 2025
Looking to work in sport?
Find or advertise sports jobs in the UK
Search now
Our funders
  • Funded by UK Government
  • TNL partners
Who we work with
  • British Olympic Association
  • Paralympics GB
  • Logo of the UK Sports Institute
  • Sport England
  • Sport Northern Ireland
  • Sport Wales
  • Sport Scotland
  • Logo of the British Elite Athletes Association
  • Logo for UK Coaching
  • Logo of Sport Resolutions
Sitelogo
Sitemap
  • Homepage
  • About us
  • Our work
  • Events
  • News
  • Sports
  • Resources
  • Jobs in sport
  • Website terms and privacy policy
  • Editorial policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility
  • Freedom of Information
  • Welsh language scheme
  • FAQs
Contact
UK Sport
6th Floor
10 South Colonnade
London
E14 4PU
E: info@uksport.gov.uk
T: +44 (0) 20 7211 5100
Follow us
Twitter Youtube Instagram LinkedIn

© Copyright UK Sport 2025