Athletes hoping to compete on home soil next year came together with one of Britain’s greatest ever Olympians to recreate a school photo to represent The National Lottery’s ‘Class of 2012’.

Most athletes present will have benefited from National Lottery funding directly, whilst athletes from sports such as tennis and football appeared on behalf of the Lottery investment into their sports at a grassroots level, transforming community sport and enabling facilities to be created.

Since Lottery funding began in 1994, 438 Olympic and Paralympic medals have been won by GB and Northern Ireland athletes.

The National Lottery is also investing £2.2 billion in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Lottery players are enabling 1,200 elite athletes to train to the highest of international standards. 

Headmaster Sir Matthew Pinsent today welcomed the athletes and passed on inspirational words to them at iconic City of London School, boasting a historic school hall where the class photo was created.

 

The rowing legend said, “I am honoured to be able to celebrate The National Lottery’s investment with these talented athletes who are hoping to take centre stage next year.  Beijing 2008 was our most successful Olympics ever and I am backing our current hopefuls to do even better in London. The Lottery really has been the catalyst for the change in British sporting success. Lottery funding has made a tremendous impact at all levels of sport, transforming parks and sporting facilities and allowing local clubs to prosper across the UK.”

Team GB will field men’s and women’s football sides for the first time since 1972 and selection for the team is much coveted by potential players.

Arsenal and England player Kieran Gibbs said, “To represent Team GB in the football competition next year would be one of the highlights of a British footballer’s career. I am fortunate to be at an age that means I could be considered, subject to club commitments. Any British footballer would take a lot of pride in pulling on the British vest and leading the GB team to success next year. It’s with thanks to National Lottery funding that football at a grassroots level in this country is thriving and it’s been fantastic to celebrate that investment here today.”

Modern Pentathlete Freyja Prentice has already attained the 2012 Olympic qualifying standard by finishing eighth at the Modern Pentathlon European Championships in July this year and is hoping to be confirmed for Team GB next year.

The Scottish athlete said, “Thanks to Lottery players, we are getting ready for the biggest exams of our sporting careers. It was fantastic to learn first-hand from Sir Matthew Pinsent about his Olympic experiences; we’ve had an inspirational lesson here today.”

Triple World champion and Paralympic and Commonwealth archery champion Danielle Brown will look to defend her Paralympic title if selected for ParalympicsGB and said, “I would like Lottery players to realise how their money has turned our sporting ambitions to reality. All my ‘classmates’ here today are determined to make Lottery players proud of the Class of 2012.”

National Lottery players have raised £27 billion for Good Causes since the Lottery started in 1994. Over £6 billion of this has been invested in sport.

For further information on National Lottery funding visit www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk

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For media information and images please contact Fast Track:

Kate Silvers:            07789 544048 / kate.silvers@fasttrackagency.com

 

Or the National Lottery Promotions Unit:

Michael Thompson:   0207 2113894 / 07734 295745 michael.thompson@lotterygoodcauses.org.uk

 

The athletes involved in the Class of 2012 photoshoot are:

 

Headmaster                 Sir Matthew Pinsent                 Four-time Olympic Rowing Champion

 

Olympic Sports

Aquatics: Swimming       Xander Alari-Williams (Kent)       2010 National Youth Champion

Archery                         Mark Nesbitt (Banbridge, NI)       2009 Double Youth Olympic Champion

Athletics: Track              Marlon Devonish (Coventry)        2004 Olympic 4x100m Relay Champion

Athletics: Field               Chris Tomlinson (Middlesbrough) 2008 World Indoor Silver Medallist

Badminton                     Gabby White (Leeds)                  2010 Commonwealth Games Bronze Medallist

Basketball                     Sarah McKay (London)                GB International Player

Beach Volleyball             Lucy Boulton (Bath)                    2011 Olympic Test Event 4th Place

Boxing                          Anthony Joshua (London)            2011 World Silver Medallist

Canoeing                       Jess Walker (High Wycombe)      2008 European Junior Champion

Cycling                          David Fletcher (Nottinghamshire) 2007 Junior World Mountain Bike Bronze

Equestrian: Dressage     Laura Bechtoltsheimer (G’shire)   2010 World Equestrian Silver Medallist

Equestrian: Eventing       Tina Cook (Sussex)                    2010 World Equestrian Games Gold

Football                         Kieran Gibbs (London)                Arsenal FC and England International

Fencing                         Laurence Halsted (London)          2008 European Silver Medallist   

Gymnastics: Artistic        Rebecca Downie (Nottingham)     2008 Olympic Finalist, European Silver

Gymnastics: Rhythmic    Mimi Cesar (Birmingham)            GB Number Two

Handball                        Ciaran Williams (Manchester)      GB Men’s Captain

Hockey                          Helen Richardson (Reading)        2010 World Cup Bronze Medallist

Judo                              Colin Oakes (Norfolk)                 2011 European Bronze Medallist

Modern Pentathlon          Freyja Prentice (Inverurie/Bath)  2011 World Junior Team Champion

Rowing                          Caroline O’Connor (Oxford)         2011 World Bronze Medallist

Sailing                           Stephen Milne (Ballyhome, NI)    GB International

Shooting                        Peter Wilson (London)                 2011 World Cup Champion, World Number One

Table Tennis                  Joanna Parker (London)              GB Number One

Taekwondo                    Michael Harvey (Manchester)       2011 World Silver Medallist

Tennis                           Elena Baltacha (Ipswich)             GB Number One

Triathlon                        Vicky Holland (Bridgend)             Sixth: 2010 ITU World Championships Final

Volleyball                      Matt Howe (Sheffield)                 GB International

Weightlifting                   Zoe Smith (Leeds)                      2010 Commonwealth Games Bronze Medallist

Wrestling                       Leon Rattigan (Manchester)         2010 Commonwealth Games Bronze Medallist

 

Paralympic Sports      

Archery                         Danielle Brown (Telford)             2008 Paralympic Champion

Athletics                        Dan Greaves (Leicester)             2004 Paralympic Champion

Boccia                           David Smith (Swansea)              2008 Paralympic Champion

Cycling                          David Stone (Leeds)                   2008 Double Paralympic Champion

Equestrian                     Natasha Baker (Uxbridge)           2010 European Champion

Football 5-a-side            Dave Clarke (Harpenden)           2010 European Championship Golden Boot

Football 7-a-side            Martin Sinclair (Bath)                  GB International

Goalball                         Simon Goodall (Wokingham)       GB International

Judo                              Ben Quilter (Dartford)                 2011 Visually Impaired European Champion

Powerlifting                    Adam Alderman (Essex)             GB Number One

Rowing                          David Smith (London)                 World Champion

Sailing                           David Sandles (Wiltshire)            GB Sailor

Shooting                        Matthew Skelhon (Stilton)           2008 Paralympic Champion

Swimming                     Liz Johnson (Newport/Bath)         2008 Paralympic Champion

Table Tennis                  Will Bayley (Sheffield)                World Number Two

Sitting Volleyball            Anton Raimondo (London)           GB Vice Captain

Wheelchair Basketball     Terry Bywater (Middlesbrough)    2011 European Champion

Wheelchair Fencing         Craig McCann (Yorkshire)            GB Number Two                        

Wheelchair Rugby          Aaron Phipps (Southampton)       2011 European Silver Medallist

Wheelchair Tennis          Andrew Lapthorne (Eastcote)       World Number Four

 

 

Notes to Editors:

 

·          The National Lottery’s ‘Class of 2012’ photoshoot is celebrating The National Lottery’s investment into grassroots, community and elite level sport and the investment of £2.2 billion into the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

·          Up to £2.2billion of Lottery funding is being invested in venues and infrastructure for London 2012, as well as supporting around 1,200 elite athletes to benefit from world class coaching and support.

·          Lottery funding is also being used to inspire a future generation of Olympians and Paralympians by upgrading local sports clubs and facilities, supporting local people to lead and organise local sporting activities and providing opportunities for more people to enjoy sport.

·          The National Lottery is also a principal funder of the Cultural Olympiad and the London 2012 Festival, which will give people across the UK the chance to celebrate and be inspired by the Games through arts and cultural events in local communities.

·          National Lottery funding to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games is awarded through the Olympic Lottery Distributor, UK Sport, Sport England, Arts Council England, Legacy Trust UK, Creative Scotland, Arts Council of Wales, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, SportScotland, Sport Wales and Sport Northern Ireland.

·          £30 million is generated by The National Lottery for Good Causes every week.