UK Sport invests £347m in bid to become first nation to surpass home Games medal haul
Hugh Robertson welcomes preparations for 2016 Games and beyond
UK Sport has today unveiled a goal for the UK to be the first host nation to be more successful at both the next summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in terms of medals won, while creating a stronger more sustainable high performance system to support future generations of athletes.
To help achieve this, UK Sport will strategically invest £347 million in Britain’s summer Olympic and Paralympic sports, for their preparations towards the Rio 2016 Games and beyond.
Chair of UK Sport Baroness Sue Campbell said: “London 2012 was just the beginning, not the end, for Olympic and Paralympic sport in this country, and we plan to continue to make this funding work as hard as it can to help our best athletes achieve medal success at the highest level; to make this nation as proud as they did this summer and to inspire the next generation.”
Summer success
The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games saw Team GB win 65 medals and ParalympicsGB win 120. this investment builds on the £313 million investment in sports in the London cycle.
“We are investing more public money to support our elite athletes in the four years to Rio 2016 than for our home Games, which shows our desire to keep up the momentum from London 2012,” said Sports Minister Hugh Robertson.