World and Olympic champion Captain Heather Stanning encouraged soldiers to be open-minded to the opportunities that could be ahead of them at the first phase of testing for the Army Elite Sport Programme (AESP).
Taking part in a range of physical and physiological tests at the Army’s School of Physical Training in Aldershot, recruits were put through their paces as they attempted to prove they have the potential to become Olympic athletes on UK Sport’s World Class Programme.
Private Mischa Taylor, 23, has just come through Army Basic Training and explained why she was keen to trial for the AESP: “I’ve always watched the Olympics and Dame Kelly Holmes is one of my biggest inspirations.
“I like sprinting and I’ve just taken up boxing, I’ve given it my all so I want to make it through to the next phase, even if I can get some more training and feedback, I’d be happy.”
The AESP was launched by UK Sport, the English Institute of Sport and the British Army and is aiming to find potential elite athletes within Army ranks.
Head of Performance Pathways at UK Sport Natalie Dunman believes the partnership could be a fruitful source of untapped talent. She said: “We see the Army as a really well pre-screened group; they’re already an athletic population who have achieved a certain level of training and fitness.
“Add to that some of the behavioural and psychological characteristics, and the drive and motivation, this is a really exciting group to work with.”
Private Leonora Brajshori, 29, currently represents the Army in powerlifting and has her sights set on taking part in Olympic weightlifting.
She said: “Hopefully I did enough. I would love to train full-time, the Olympic Games is 100% my ambition.”
Brigadier John Donnelly CBE, one of the driving forces of the programme, described the partnership as a “winning opportunity”.
He explained: “The Army’s values of Courage, Discipline, Respect for Others, Integrity and Selfless Commitment are what you need to be a soldier, but that’s also what you need to succeed in sport, so there’s a very natural overlap in what we do and I’m delighted to have the rigor and expertise of UK Sport to help us focus our talent better.
A serving member of the British Army, as well as reigning world and Olympic rowing champion, Captain Heather Stanning reiterated: "Anyone in the Armed Forces has already demonstrated that they're committed, have great teamwork skills and are up for a challenge.
"These are mentally strong people, so I'm really looking forward to seeing what comes [of the AESP] and who emerges, because I think there will be some surprises and that's really exciting."
Through the AESP UK Sport will work closely with the British Army so that they can test new recruits and identify anybody with potential, making sure they can transition onto sport’s World Class Programmes.
The sports already involved with the programme are rowing, weightlifting, taekwondo, boxing, skeleton and shooting.
Those tested in Aldershot will find out in mid-December if they have been successful in reaching phase two, which will be a more focused screening process.