PRESS RELEASE
<April 2017>
Top Young Athletes’ set to compete at the
Sportshall UK Final
Budding Young Athletes’ from across the UK are set to compete in the Sportshall Athletics UK Finals at Manchester’s Regional Indoor Athletics Arena on the weekend of April 22nd & 23rd The most promising young athletes will battle it out to be crowned UK Champions at the flagship athletics development event of the year.
Athletes such as Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Kelly Sotherton and Mark-Lewis-Francis took part at this event in previous years. Dina Asher Smith also competed in Sportshall and many other current members of the GB & NI Athletics Team experienced their first taste of Athletics through Sportshall competition. Morgan Lake, High Jump UK Junior record holder, won the Under 15’s Sportshall All Rounder competition in 2011 and so this is a chance to see the athletic stars of the future at the start of their athletic careers.
Amber Anning, last year’s All Rounder Champion will attend to encourage those who are hoping to take her title. Jessica Lake, Mia Chantree and Yasmin Grovesnor are all in with a chance after putting in outstanding individual performances in the Regional Finals. The boys’ title is also up for grabs with Theo Adesina a strong contender having put in the season’s best performance in the Shot.
Teams from across the UK will be looking to win titles. The Under 15 Boys’ team from Donegal will be defending their title after winning the competition for the first time last year whilst in the Under 15 Girls’ competition Surrey will be trying to hold onto their title to make it three in a row.
Local teams from Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Merseyside will be taking part again and it is pleasing to see teams from Durham and Essex qualifying for a place in the final for the first time in many years, showing the continuing spread in popularity of Sportshall competition.
Sportshall as a programme was created 40 years ago and now engages over a million children in athletics each year through club and school games programmes. The event is supported by Eveque Leisure Equipment, Eastlands Trust, the Amateur Athletic Association, British Athletics and all the Home Country Governing Bodies.
Twitter – @SportshallUK Facebook – SportshallUK
For more information including a full list of qualifiers or to attend the event please contact the Sportshall Team at team@sportshall.org or ring 01606 353 550
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NOTES FOR EDITORS
On the Saturday the Under 15 event will start at 12.30pm and Finish at 4.30pm.
On the Sunday the Under 13 event will start at 12.30pm and Finish at 4.30pm.
Sportshall is a competitive and fun introduction to athletics for children aged 9 to 15. The exciting indoor competition series involves ten regional finals for Under 13 and Under 15 year olds who compete in a variety of athletics disciplines including sprinting, standing long jump and shot. The top teams from each regional final progress to the UK Finals.
Sportshall Athletics emphasises the importance of team competition, fair play and the fact that taking part and trying your hardest is more important than winning. The scheme was created in 1976 to introduce young people to athletics by making most athletic events possible within a sports hall environment. The fun and easy to master events encourage children to get active in a safe environment.