Pentathlon News
2012 Ambition Programme Launchposted by Stuart Mason on05-07-2008
Yesterday the British Olympic Association (BOA) announced the athletes and coaches invited to take part in "Britain's Olympic Ambition 2012 programme. The full story can be seen here.
For Modern Pentathlon the members will be:
- Mhairi Spence - athlete
- Katy Burke - athletes
- Jamie Cooke - athlete
- Stuart Mason - manager
The programme, designed to enhance athlete medal success at the London 2012 Olympic Games by providing talented potential team members with an opportunity to experience the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, will see athletes from 33 disciplines spend seven days in Macau and Beijing during the 2008 Olympic Games.
Whilst there, athletes will visit the Team GB preparation camp in Macau, the Olympic Village and the Athletes" Lodge. They will also have a press conference fronted by their mentors, Olympians like Denise Lewis, Ed Coode and Alison Mowbray. In addition participants will be given the opportunity to watch two competition sessions for their specific discipline.
This programmes focus is based around providing sports specific event exposure and to replicate, as closely as possible, an athletes overall Olympic experience.
Yesterday they were part of around 800 individuals (athletes, support staff, VIPS) visiting the NEC in Birmingham to pick up their kit over the next few weeks with each of the competing athletes collecting around 97 items of clothing and accessories including:
- Adidas leisure and competition wear
- Suitcase
- Formal Suit and Parade Wear
- Panasonic Camcorder
- Team GB Mascot
The 2012 Ambition Programme Team got specific kit designed for that programme (minus the goodies listed above!)
Each of the 2012 Ambition Programme Team were assisted through the kitting out process by one of 40 personal shoppers who are either a student volunteer from the nearby Birmingham University or sourced through Birmingham City Councils sport volunteers programme.
Tailors and seamstresses are also located in-house to ensure that each item fits to their individual needs with each athletes visit being recorded by BOA Official Photographer Getty Images.
Several Team GB athletes were involved in the design of both the Team GB kit and also the kitting out process through their feedback via the British Athletes Commission including Team GB rower Sarah Winckless: I was honoured when I was asked by the BOA to give an athletes view into the design process of the kit for Beijing and I really believe that the kit this year is the best Olympic athletes have ever been given.
The Modern Pentathlon team members yesterday were really impressed with the experience during the kitting out process when they collected there kit and really brings home that the Olympics are just over a month away.
Simon Clegg, Team GB Chef de Mission said: The British Olympic Association want to provide a first class experience for Team GB athletes as they proudly receive their British kit ahead of this summers Olympic Games in Beijing. Providing every athlete and support staff member with such an array of clothing and accessories has been a huge logistical undertaking for the BOA.
We are delighted that the NEC in Birmingham have been able to centrally host this operation allowing for every member of Team GB to conveniently travel to and from this occasion.
Youth B European Championshipposted by WCDP Manager on03-07-2008
A link to the Competition Website is shown below, we are told that the results will be posted there. Ifany problems with the direct link are encountered then by navigating through the mpaireland site will also get you to the results.
This morning Alice Fitton shot 163, Courtney Hyde 165, Jodie Bruce 172 and Catherine Lough 148
http://www.mpaireland.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=128&Itemid=89
Great Newsposted by Anthony Temple on02-07-2008
News that we will have a full complement of four athletes competing in Beijing is a tribute to the athletes and to the performance team. On behalf of the Board and the Association generally it is time to congratulate them, and to look forward to Beijing. They travel with our collective best wishes and total support.
Anthony Temple
Chairman
BOA Announce additional Modern Pentathlon members of Team GB for Beijing 2008posted by Steve Ballinger on02-07-2008
The British Olympic Association today announced the selection of two additional members of the Modern Pentathlon Team to compete in Beijing.
The athletes are:
Mens Event
Sam Weale
Nick Woodbridge
Sam Weale and Nick Woodbridge will become the first British male modern pentathletes to compete at an Olympic Games since Richard Phelps in Atlanta, in 1996, when they go into action at Beijing 2008.
Both qualified through their positions on the UIPMs Olympic ranking list a measure of their performances across the year up to the start of June 2008.
Weale and Woodbridge join Heather Fell and Katy Livingston in Team GB for Beijing, which means Great Britain will have the maximum complement of four pentathletes at the 2008 Olympic Games.
Commenting on their selection:
Sam Weale said: Its every young athletes dream to compete at an Olympic Games.
The nature of the sport is that its open and anything can happen. There are three medals up for grab and probably any one of 30 men could have a chance of winning one. I consider Im one of those athletes.
Ive already won a World Cup medal this year and Im not going to Beijing just to make the numbers up.
Nick Woodbridge said: I'm excited to be selected, not just after a year of intense qualification competitions, but also a lifetime of training and dedication. I'm now set for two months of the hardest training of my career and who knows what can happen under the Olympic pressure.
I saw Beijing as an experience for London, but now I have my eyes on a podium finish. There is nothing more special to me than the Olympic Games and having the chance to compete is a lifetime ambition. I am so grateful to everyone that helped get me there. I look forward to August 22nd.
Simon Clegg, Team GB 2008 Chef de Mission, said: The BOA are delighted to welcome both Sam and Nick in to Team GB, ensuring a full compliment to the Modern Pentathlon team in Beijing and I wish them both well in their final preparations.
Dominic Mahony, Team GB Modern Pentathlon Team Leader for the Beijing 2008 Olympics said: Sam and Nick are both talented young athletes. They have worked hard to qualify for Beijing and both thoroughly deserve their places on the team.
It is an outstanding achievement to have the full complement of athletes competing in Beijing and we go there with the intention of seriously challenging for medals.
Notes to Editors
Team GB is expected to consist of approximately 300 athletes and a further 200 officials.
Team GB could be competing in up to 20 sports.
The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games will take place from 8th to 24th August 2008.
The British Olympic Association (BOA) is the National Olympic Committee for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Its role is to prepare our nations finest athletes for and lead them at the summer, winter and youth Olympic Games. The BOA delivers extensive elite level support services to Britains Olympic athletes and their National Governing Bodies throughout each Olympic cycle and in the UK is responsible for the development and protection of the Olympic Movement.
2008 Youth A Europeans Websiteposted by WCDP Manager on01-07-2008
Please note that there is a dedicated website for the Youth A Europeans. Now available online through the following link: