UK Sport has announced a new Beijing Support Fund with £138,000 set to be invested into seven sports ahead of next year’s Olympic Winter Games.
Biathlon, bobsleigh, figure skating, freestyle skiing aerials, luge, short track speed skating and speed skating will all see their final preparations for, and performances at, the Games in China lifted by this new Fund.
Sports not currently in receipt of World Class Programme funding who have achieved significant international results and whose athletes or teams are on track to qualify for Beijing were eligible to apply to the Fund.
The Fund will be used for training and competition costs with the likes of figure skating set to secure support from a choreographer and bobsleigh set to utilise the grant to attend an international training week at the Olympic track in Beijing.
Seven sports applied and all will receive the offer of an award. The breakdown of investment is as follows, up to:
- Biathlon – £6,000
- Bobsleigh – £40,000
- Figure Skating – £40,000
- Freestyle Skiing – Aerials - £6,000
- Luge – £6,000
- Short Track Speed Skating – £20,000
- Speed Skating – £20,000
Sally Munday, CEO at UK Sport, said: “With less than four months before the start of the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing we are delighted to have set up the Beijing Support Fund for these sports, athletes and teams to benefit from.
“This is the first Fund of its kind for winter sports under UK Sport’s new mission, which places an importance on demonstrating our commitment to a wider group of sports, athletes and teams in our high-performance community.
“The Fund will provide crucial support for everyone involved in the final months leading up to the Games as they first aim to qualify and then look to perform at their very best in Beijing. We are looking forward to working with these seven sports in helping them achieve success.”
BBSA Chair, Joanna Poulton, said: “We are delighted to have had our bid for funds accepted in full by UK Sport. These funds will make asignificant difference to our teams as they finalise their preparations for nextFebruary’s Olympic Winter Games.
“In particular, this money will enable attendance at this month’s International Training Period in Beijing, where the teams are currently getting their first taste of the newOlympic track. That preparation will be vital to our chances of success at the Olympic Winter Games in China next year and we are very grateful for the support UK Sport have offered at a key time in our teams’ preparations.
“We thank UK Sport for recognising the significant results our teams have achieved while having to rely solely on their own funding and we are now really looking forward to seeing them make a big impact when the World Cup season begins next month, and again in Beijing in four months’ time.”
Michelle Draper, CEO of British Ice Skating, said: “We’re delighted that UK Sport have recognised ice skating as part of the Beijing Support Fund. This vital investment will allow our athletes a greater opportunity to not just qualify for Beijing 2022 but give them the chance to perform to their potential at the Games. The Fund demonstrates a welcome commitment to our skaters as they aim to succeed on the world stage.”