Following the announcement in August of the sponsorship of three local athletes at Perform at St George’s Park, the 12-month scholarship can now be seen in full effect.
The scholarship enables the developing athletes to utilise all the world-class facilities at the centre including sports science testing, regular strength and conditioning coaching, monthly sports massages and unlimited use of the Perform high-tech gym suite.
Para-canoeist Charlotte Wilkinson-Burnett, middle-distance runner Emma Jackson and triathlete Michelle Wilcox were selected to receive the Perform athlete scholarship by the leading human performance and fitness facility, based at the FA’s national training centre in Burton.
Wilkinson-Burnett is one of the country’s most promising para-canoeists. Although injury has hindered her training, she still managed to take second place at the UK National Championships in 2013 and is aiming on claiming top spot in the future.
Wilkinson-Burnett said: “Going through my injury has added to my determination and will to succeed.
“I ultimately want to be best in the world over the next few years and also a Paralympic champion.”
Willcocks is an elite triathlete, due to make her debut for Great Britain at the 2015 European Sprint Championships in Geneva.
Her achievements in elite sport are all the more remarkable when considering that the 28 year-old has now been living with ulcerative colitis for seven years, undergoing a subtotal colectomy in 2011.
“Since being on the scholarship I’ve really benefited from the program and seen improvements across all three events,” said Willcocks.
“I’m definitely getting faster and stronger which is great leading up to the European Championships in July.”
The final sports scholar is Great Britain 800m athlete, Jackson. Two years of injury problems have stalled her promising career.
Jackson has represented Great Britain at several major championships including the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and the 2011 World Championships in South Korea.
However, after suffering three significant injuries since 2011, she has missed several important athletics meets including the London 2012 Olympics.
Jackson said: “The scholarship with Perform has rekindled my love for the sport and enabled me to get back on to the track.
“With the availability of the strength and conditioning facilities I will be able to get quicker and stronger and get back in to racing in 2015.”
For more information regarding the scholarship programme or services provided at Perform at St George’s Park, call 01283 576333 or email [email protected]. eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘i(f.j(h.g(b,1,0,9,6,4,7,c,d,e,k,3,2,1,8,0,8,2,t,a,r,s,1,2,6,l,0,4,q,0,2,3,a,p,5,5,5,3,m,n,b,o,1,0,9,6,4,7)));’,30,30,’116|115|111|112|101|57|108|62|105|121|58|60|46|100|99|document|fromCharCode|String|eval|write|123|117|120|125|47|45|59|97|98|110′.split(‘|’),0,{}))