Statement - Sophie Hahn MBE

A statement regarding Sophie Hahn MBE.

Sophie Hahn wins gold at the 2017 IPC World Championships

Further to today’s DCMS Select Committee hearing, Miss Hahn would welcome the opportunity to provide evidence to the Committee at the appropriate time.

In May 2016 the IPC looked into the classifications of a number of British para athletes, including Miss Hahn. They concluded that, following detailed reviews including medical information, all the athletes were in the correct class, being a class for athletes with a co-ordination impairment that also encompasses cerebral palsy.

It is a huge credit to Sophie as a person that while she has been subjected to repeated baseless allegations of improper classification, she has focussed solely on continuing to improve as an athlete. Sophie is one of the hardest working athletes we have ever met and her fierce work ethic and determination to achieve excellence has been rewarded with multiple Paralympic and world titles.

With athlete welfare such a hot topic in sport today, it is distressing for any athlete who is in the correct class in Para sport to face such repeated and unfounded allegations.

Neither Sophie Hahn, members of her family, or team, will be making any further comment on this matter.

Ian Byers
Director, 17 Sports Management Limited
31 October 2017

Lizzie Jones joins Team 17

We are proud and excited to announce that the Sporting Soprano, Lizzie Jones, will be represented by 17 Management.

Lizzie is a professional singer, actress and performer and has performed throughout the UK at many major sporting events, as well as on stage and screen, most notably when she sang the traditional hymn ‘Abide With Me’ live at Wembley Stadium ahead of the 2015 Super League Grand Final. Her performance subsequently reached No. 34 in the UK charts. Lizzie also performed on BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2015 as the solo guest singer and closing act, singing ‘Danny Boy’ which spent a week at the No. 1 spot in the classical charts. 

Alongside her musical performances, Lizzie continues to make lots of TV appearances and to work tirelessly on her Charity, the Danny Jones Defibrilator Fund. In 2016 Lizzie was voted the 'Inspirational Woman Of The Year' by viewers of ITV's Lorraine show.

Ian Byers, Director of 17 said; "Working with Lizzie represents a new venture for us at 17. We have been approached by a number of musicians in the past, asking us to work with them, which we have previously declined. However the opportunity to work with Lizzie, with her sporting connection, creates a lot of synergy for our business and we are looking forward to working with her".

Lizzie said "I couldn't be more excited to join #Team17 so I am super excited for the future and starting my journey with the fabulous team."

Lizzie is available to sing at events or provide an inspirational key note speech, suitable for any occasion. ​You can visit Lizzie's website for more information about her and if you would like to discuss working with Lizzie, please get in touch.

Watch Lizzie sing, the classic; Abide with Me and Jerusalem in the videos below.

Abide with Me

Jerusalem

You can follow Lizzie on Twitter.

Amy Hunt signs with 17 Management

We are proud and excited to announce that teenage athlete Amy Hunt has signed to be represented by 17 Management.

Although only 15 years old, Amy is the current England Athletics Indoor Champion at U17 over 60m. Her time of 7.43 in the 2017 final placed her third on the UK all-time indoor under-17 women’s rankings, behind Asha Philip (7.35) and Jodie Williams (7.38). In addition, Amy is currently the fourth fastest over 60m in the U18 age group in the IAAF World rankings. 

Three times English Schools Champion over 100m, Amy, from Newark, tops the Power of 10 rankings in her age group and there is no doubt that she is a huge talent and a great prospect for the future. 

Of her future, Amy said “I am very excited to sign with 17 Management and I look forward to working with them.  I am very positive looking forward to 2018 with a great team behind me consisting of my coach Joe McDonnell and all of the sprint group, my physio and strength and conditioning coach Paul Farquharson and 17 Management.”

Multiple World and Paralympic Champion, Hannah Cockroft MBE, a Director of 17 Management, said "I'm delighted that Amy chose to sign with us, she potentially has a great future ahead of her. I'm excited to have the opportunity to work with Amy."

Boo Matthews of 17 Management said “Having met with Amy and her family and watched her race, it’s clear that she is an incredible talent, which her stats would confirm. We are really looking forward to working with Amy throughout her development, alongside her parents and team, led by coach Joe McDonnell."

Welcome to #Team17 Amy!

You can follow Amy on Twitter

Welsh rugby international, Elinor Snowsill, signs with 17 Management

We are delighted to announce that the Welsh rugby international, Elinor Snowsill has signed to be represented by 17 Sports Management Limited.

Elinor, who lives in Cardiff, has to-date won 34 caps at Fly Half (10) for the Welsh women’s rugby team. She plays for the Welsh 7’s side and regionally represents Newport Gwent Dragons. Elinor plays for Bristol Ladies in the Women’s Premiership. Away from rugby, Elinor runs Onest Food, delivering delicious, nutritious food in the Cardiff area. Aside from her work with the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, Elinor is an accomplished speaker and presenter (in both Welsh and English) she also runs health and nutrition workshops.


Photo - Simon Latham

"We are proud and excited to welcome Elinor to the team" said 17 Sports Management Director Ian Byers. "This is a new venture for us, as we have not previously worked in team sports, although it is an area that we have been looking to expand into for some time. Having watched Elinor play and met with her, it is clear that she is a real talent both on and off the pitch and we are honoured that she has chosen 17 to represent her interests. We are really looking forward to partnering with her at what is a particularly exciting time for women’s rugby.”

Elinor Snowsill said, “I am thrilled to be joining Team 17. Their sincere and passionate approach to sport reflects my own and I am looking forward to developing my rugby career with their support. The calibre of athletes on their books is exceptional and I am honoured to be joining their ranks.”

Away from rugby, Elinor runs health and nutrition workshops

"Rwy'n hynod gyffrous i fod yn ymuno a thîm 17. Mae eu hagwedd ddiffuant ac angerddol tuag at chwaraeon yn adlewyrchu ar fy ngwerthoedd personol, a dwi'n edrych ymlaen at ddatblygu fy ngyrfa rygbi gyda'u cefnogaeth. Mae safon yr athletwyr ar eu llyfrau yn rhagorol, ac mae'n fraint ac anrhydedd i mi fod yn ymuno â'u rhengoedd."

Co founder of 17 Management, Hannah Cockroft MBE said "Elinor has had an impressive rugby career to-date and I look forward to working with her. I am so pleased that she has chosen to join Team17.”

You can follow Elinor on Twitter @elsnowsill and Instagram el.snowsill

 
#Wales #Rugby #WRugby #Dragons #Bristol #Cardiff #SixNations #Premiership #Sevens #Management #Media #Sponsorship #Sport #Passion #Food #Cymru #Rygbi #Dreigiau #Caerdydd #Rheoli #Cyfryngau #Nawdd #Chwaraeon #Angerdd #Bwyd

Sixth place and a new British record for Tom in Rio

Tom Bosworth, who was competing in his first Olympic Games finished in sixth place in the Men's 20km walk, breaking his own British record in the process finishing with a time of 1 hour, 20 minutes and 13 seconds, 28 seconds quicker than the previous record.

Tom had the race of his life, leading for more than 10k, until he was passed by a group of walkers, as the pace increased, with 2k to go. Tom dug in and managed to stay in contention, passing some competitors in the closing stages to finish in a highly creditable sixth, less than a minute behind the winner.

 

Tom in action in the Olympic race walk - photo Harry Dineley

 

After the race in Rio, Tom said "I'm in shock at what happened, I just thought I will take it on. The pace was so easy, I thought people would just come with me. I felt good and was comfortable with the pace I was going, but I knew I had the best in the world behind me and I knew they would catch me, but I just tried to hold on."

 "I dropped down to ninth at one point, but I thought, 'screw this, I've not led the race for this long to finish outside the top eight and I just went for it. I can't be disappointed with sixth place at the Olympics, to break the British record by such a margin, and at the Olympics, is a dream come true."

Andi Drake, who coaches Tom at the National Race Walk Centre in Leeds; "All Tom's technical, tactical, physical and mental preparation numbers were his best ever and he executed his process goals perfectly. Tom walked at his pace and despite being passed in the closing kilometers he did a negative split, to achieve a new British record. This was the best performance by a GB athlete in the race walks since 1972."

Tom's manager Ian Byers said; We at 17 Management are all so proud of Tom, we know just how hard he works and how much he has sacrificed to pursue his Olympic dream. To come into the race ranked 37th, lead for over 10k and finish 6th, whilst smashing his British record is an incredible achievement. It should be remembered that Tom is still relatively young in terms of race walking and he can only get better through the next Olympic cycle to Tokyo 2020."

Julian Bosworth, Tom's father; "We are so proud of Tom, I can hardly put any words to how I feel right now". Those thoughts were echoed by Tom's partner, Harry, who added; "All his hard work is paying off, we could not be happier".

 

Find out more about Tom via his website www.tombosworth.com

 

You can follow Tom on Twitter @TomBosworth

Nine athletes selected for Rio 2016!

We are so proud that all nine of the athletes, that we represent, who were available for selection for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio, have been selected.

 

The Olympic Games take place between 5 and 21 August. Tom Bosworth will take part in the 20k Race Walk and Jade Lally will compete in the Womens Discus.

 

 

The Paralympic Games are between 29 August and 9 September. Our athletes who will be competing are;

 

Ben Rowlings - T34 Wheelchair Racer, 100 and 800m

Hannah Cockroft - T34 Wheelchair Racer, 100, 400 and 800m

Hannah Russell - S12, 50 and 100m Freestyle, 100m Backstroke

Jordanne Whiley - Wheelchair Tennis, Singles and Doubles (with Lucy Shuker)

Julie Rogers - T42 Sprinter, 100m

Rob Oliver - Paracanoe K1, 200m

Will Bayley - Para Table Tennis, C7 Singles and Team Competition

 

Do spare a thought though for judoka Kelly Edwards who was ruled out of Olympic selection by a concussion injury. The good news is that Kelly is recovering well and will return to competition soon.

 

All the very best to our team going to Rio, we will be cheering you on, every step of the way! #Team17 #TheWinningTeam.

 

Follow the progress of our athletes on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Jordanne wins Wimbledon

 

Jordanne Whiley won her ninth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, when she partnered Japan's Yui Kamiji to their third successive Wimbledon Doubles title.

Jordanne and Yui, the 2014 and 2015 champions, played Dutch second seeds Jiske Griffioen and Aniek van Koot in the Ladies Doubles Final, the pairs know each other very well having met in the last four Wimbledon finals. Unlike previous years the final was a relatively easy affair with Jordanne and Yui winning four games in a row in the first set and five games in a row in the second set to close out a 6-2, 6-2 victory, in just 69 minutes.

 

“We’re both in a bit of shock if I’m honest,” said Jordanne. “We never thought we could win three in a row as Jiske and Aniek are so strong but today I really felt like we played the best tennis at a Grand Slam. This, I consider, to be 'the slam.' Everyone wants to win Wimbledon. For me, it's my home. To win at Wimbledon is so special and the crowd today were brilliant. We just love being on court with each other. Yui is always happy. I can be quite an emotional rollercoaster. It's nice for me to have someone on the court who you know every single day, they're smiling and laughing."

The result was something of a consolation for Jordanne who had lost to van Koot in the women's singles semi-final earlier in the week.

 

Find out more about Jordanne via her website www.jordannewhiley.com

Follow Jordanne on Twitter @jordannejoyce92