New sports stars are spurred on by Hudds Olympic heroes
Nov 5 2008 by Katie Campling, Huddersfield Daily Examiner
New sports stars are spurred on by Olympic heroes
The two Olympians were joined at the Galpharm by Kirklees youngsters who are representing Great Britain in Olympic and non-Olympic sports, including swimming, canoeing and netball.
Phil Longworth, chairman of the Kirklees Sport and Recreation Partnership, said there were 30 sports people could try in Kirklees, with more than 800 voluntary sports clubs in the district.
He said there was a sport to suit almost everyone.
“The strategy is not just about getting youngsters involved or keeping people in sports when they are older. It is also about connecting with the ‘lost generations’ of people who gave up sports at school.
“Maybe they hated hockey then, but might like badminton if they tried it now.
“The next few years will be an incredibly exciting time for sport and active recreation, with London 2012 giving us an unprecedented opportunity to raise the profile of sport and increase levels of participation at all levels across Kirklees.”
Ed Clancy facts
l He and his GB team mates Bradley Wiggins, Paul Manning and Geraint Thomas won gold in the Beijing Olympics this year, with a time of 3 mins 53.3secs in the 4,000m pursuit.
l He won individual and team pursuit gold medals in the first round of the cycling World Cup Series in Manchester at the weekend.
l He lives in Newton le Willow, near Warrington.
l He has been splitting his time between the UK and Belgium, where he competed in professional road racing for a team sponsored by bank Landbouwkredit.
l He will road race professionally for Halfords in the UK in the next season.
l Ed and his Beijing Team GB team-mates, who brought home seven gold medals from the Olympics, have been given the freedom of Manchester for their achievements.
