£50 million to back British athletes to Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic success
Prime Minister confirms £50 million to support British athletes to help the UK remain an Olympic and Paralympic powerhouse at Tokyo 2020.
The Prime Minister has confirmed £50 million to support British athletes to help the UK remain an Olympic and Paralympic powerhouse at Tokyo 2020.
The funding is part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to British sport, and will be used to support our elite athletes’ final year of preparation in the run up to the Games.
The support will help fulfil UK Sport’s ambition to deliver more medals and medallists to inspire the nation at the Olympic and Paralympic Games next year.
For the first time, Para Taekwondo, Para Badminton, Sport Climbing, Karate and BMX Freestyle are all receiving UK Sport funding to help them compete at Tokyo.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:
The UK has repeatedly shown itself to be an Olympic and Paralympic powerhouse, with our athletes putting in truly extraordinary performances over multiple Games.
This further investment means we are right behind our elite athletes, backing them every step of the way as they strive towards medal success at Tokyo 2020.
I have no doubt their efforts will inspire the nation, encouraging even more people to get involved in sport – just as we saw after our record-breaking performances at London 2012 and Rio 2016.
And we must continue to build on our legacy of London 2012, which gave us a fantastic opportunity to showcase the incredible talent in our country, and deliver real lasting change across sport and our local communities.
UK Sport’s strategic investment over the past two decades has led to record-breaking performances by the country’s National Lottery funded athletes at successive Olympic and Paralympic Games.
After Team GB and ParalympicsGB incredible medal haul at London 2012, the UK became the first host nation in history to better both its Olympic and Paralympic performance at the next Games.
UK Sport has outlined that it wants to increase the number of sports Team GB and ParalympicsGB are successful in at Tokyo 2020.
This investment will build on the legacy of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, which led to significant improvements across sport facilities, the regeneration of East London and increased economic growth.
Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said:
We are rightly regarded as one of the world’s greatest Olympic and Paralympic nations and we want it to stay that way.
Our support for our elite athletes is unwavering. Their efforts make the country proud, promote the best of the UK abroad and help to inspire a more healthy, active nation.
Dame Katherine Grainger, chair of UK Sport, said:
Since the introduction of National Lottery funding nearly 25 years ago, Great Britain has been transformed into a world-renowned sporting powerhouse. This achievement, which has seen Great Britain’s remarkable rise from 36th place to 2nd place in the Olympic medal table over just twenty years, did not happen by chance.
Strategic investment, strong leadership, ambitious goals, working in partnership and surrounding talented athletes with world leading expertise in coaching, talent development, sport science and medicine are just some of the factors that have driven this great British success story.
The investment that has recently been confirmed by Government will allow us to support the critical final year of preparations through to the Tokyo Games, and will give our athletes the best chance to achieve their dreams and inspire the whole nation through Olympic and Paralympic success.
Richard Kilty, the 2014 World Indoor 60m champion and double European indoor champion in 2015 and 2017, said:
Thanks to the fantastic continued support from both Government and The National Lottery, we will be one of the best prepared teams heading into the Olympic and Paralympic Games next year.
It’s going to be a really exciting year ahead for all athletes as we count down to Tokyo and this support puts us in the best possible shape to achieve our dreams.