Local Bradford School supports UK sport campaign “Find Your Greatness” in search of future athletes

UK Sport, the UK’s high performance sport agency, has launched Find Your Greatness, a campaign aiming to identify future Team GB or ParalympicsGB stars from across the nation.

Targeted at active and sporty 16-24-year-old UK nationals, including those with physical, visual or intellectual impairments, applications are now open until 14th October 2024. With 39% of Brits aged 18-24 thinking they could make Team GB at the LA 2028 Games*, this is an opportunity for some of those dreams to become a reality.

The campaign is seeking young athletes for a range of disciplines, including skeleton, cycling (track, mountain biking, BMX freestyle and BMX racing), rowing, modern pentathlon, weightlifting, climbing, shooting, volleyball, handball, and all para sports.

Earlier this year UK Sport representatives headed to Bradford where the city played host to a focus group at Bradford Academy, allowing students to feedback on potential creative routes and ultimately define what the final campaign was called, and what it looked like.

Victoria Tidmarsh from PR and communications agency Hatch who are supporting the campaign said: “Ensuring that the campaign’s creative look and feel, and the language that we used, was going to appeal to our younger demographic was key for us. We felt there was no better way than to ask that audience directly, and get straight to the heart of what they did and didn’t like.

“It was also important to us that we were asking young people from the communities which will be hosting regional testing sessions. Each of the 50+ students that were involved in this process provided valuable insight that led us to adapt and evolve our creative route, all leading to Find Your Greatness as it exists now. We’re incredibly thankful for their time and the support of the teaching staff throughout.”

Previous UK Sport athlete recruitment campaigns have produced an abundance of success stories across the Olympic and Paralympic Games, such as rowing champion Helen Glover, skeleton gold medalist Lizzy Yarnold, taekwondo silver medalist Lauren Williams and Para-Canoe double Paralympic champion, Emma Wiggs.

Regional testing for Olympic sports will take place in October, November and December in Bradford, with Paralympic regional testing scheduled in October, November, and February.

Dame Katherine Grainger, Chair of UK Sport, commented: “In my time as both an athlete and as Chair of UK Sport, I’ve been fortunate to witness the impact of athlete recruitment campaigns in discovering stars of the future, but also the wider value and skillsets it can bring to participants.

“The UK is a successful Olympic and Paralympic nation, and it’s through athlete recruitment campaigns like Find Your Greatness that we can stay relevant on the global stage. This campaign goes right to the heart of communities, providing opportunities for youngsters who may not have had a chance to experience these sports before, and encourages teachers, mentors and coaches to identify extraordinary talent. They really have a chance to be the catalyst for the youngsters to apply.

“I can’t wait to see the talent that we unearth throughout this campaign, and to follow them on their journey to greatness. There’s so much potential out there, we hope people have the drive and confidence to put themselves forward to see just how far they can go.”