GB Athletes Discover Funding Fate
UKA has released the names of athletes who will be receiving support from the World Class Performance Programme for 2013, with a number of Olympic and Paralympic performers elevated to top level funding following successful Games performances.
However, one high-profile casualty from the list is Paula Radcliffe, who loses her National Lottery funding because she is not seen as a ‘genuine medal contender’ for Rio 2016.
The 38-year old has suffered with a number of injuries in the past few years, and has only managed to race in one marathon since 2009, with a foot injury forcing her to pull out of the London Olympic Games.
The WCPP selections, across both Olympic and Paralympic programmes, categorise the athletes into two levels of support; Podium and Podium Potential with both groups delivering against UK Sport funding requirements and strict performance targets.
The podium level identifies both individuals and relay squads with genuine potential to medal in 2016, whilst the potential level provides support to athletes who are considered to have a greater chance of medalling in 2020.
Podium funding provides the highest level of lottery support, ranging from £13,000 per year to £26,000 per year.
The focus on achieving medal success at World and Olympic level is in contrast to the broader selection criteria of the previous four year cycle where athletes were selected to the programme on the basis of potential to deliver a top eight finish.
With six London Games gold medals between them, Mo Farah and David Weir maintain their standings on top tier funding, and are joined on Podium level by Olympic High Jump Bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz, and Paralympic 100m champion Jonnie Peacock.
World Junior 100m champion Adam Gemili is rewarded for his spectacular year with a place on Podium, as is Olympic 1500m finalist Laura Weightman, 110m hurdler Andy Pozzi and Paralympic gold medallist Josie Pearson.
Lawrence Okoye and Lawrence Clarke also join the Podium ranks following the detailed review which took place last week.
UKA performance director Neil Black said: ‘Being part of the World Class Performance Plan is a privilege and not a right and athletes selected will be expected to fulfill tough performance criteria. We have identified a very talented group of athletes for support over the coming year and I am confident that we can build on the success of the last Olympic and Paralympic cycle starting with the European Indoors in Gothenburg in March.’
‘Accountability is at the heart of this programme and athletes who have not met performance criteria over the last year will not receive continued support. It is undoubtedly tough, but that is performance sport.’
UKA Paralympic head coach Peter Eriksson added: ‘We have had to take a number of difficult decisions in this funding cycle, but this is the strongest group of athletes we have selected to the Paralympic Programme since I arrived in 2009. We had an outstanding Paralympic Games in London and our focus is now on bettering that in four years time.’
