Friday 29 May 2015

Jordanne - Bronze at World Team Cup

After two weeks in Japan and a long haul flight back from Japan, I had a couple of days back in the UK to get some washing done and then I was off to Turkey with the GB team to contest the World Team Cup. A different sort of event for me, as winning wasn't just about my performance, or that of my doubles partner, but everyone in the team.

It was a really intense week of matches in Turkey and I am so proud of the girls of the Team GB team as we came away with a Bronze medal, which exceed our seeded position.

I've also got to make a mention of the Team GB boys who came away from the tournament with Gold medals! Wheelchair tennis in the UK is getting stronger all the time thanks to the support we have from National Lottery and Tennis Foundation.

Follow me on Twitter @jordannejoyce92

#Wheelchairtennis #WorldTeamCup #Medals

Monday 18 May 2015

Tom Bosworth represents Team GB in the European Cup

Tonbridge AC athlete Tom Bosworth (25) finished in the highest ever position by a British athlete in the men's 20km at the European Race Walking Cup in Murcia, Spain, at the weekend.

Despite the shade being cast by the tall buildings, the heat made conditions very challenging. Tom made a conservative start to the race passing the 5km point in 20.56. He picked up the pace at the 7km point and went through the halfway point in 41.35 holding 22nd place. However Tom went through a bad patch between 14 and 17km but he managed to rally in the last 3km, reeling off 4.07, 4.06 and 4.01 for the last 3km as he picked up six place to finish 16th in 1:23:54.

Bosworth said: "I am pleased with how the race went, but my hip just locked up at the 14km point just as I was starting to really move through the field". "I have though ticked the boxes of my second Rio Olympics qualifying time, and my fifth IAAF Beijing World Championships time! So I can't complain, especially when I couldn't execute the perfect race strategy with the pace I hoped".

Whilst Tom, who trains with coach Andi Drake at the National Race Walking Centre at Leeds Beckett University, has achieved the qualifying times for Beijing and Rio, he still needs to secure his place on the plane by finishing in the top two of the British trials. "I know though after my performance on Sunday, I will be more competitive come the World Championship. My whole season has been geared towards Beijing; it will give me a real indication of where I stand in world terms and will give me an idea of what I need to do ahead of the Rio Olympics next year".

As a non funded athlete, British Champion and British Record holder Tom receives no financial support and having recently lost his sponsorship from Lloyds Bank, he would love to hear from any companies that would like to partner with him and be part of his exciting journey to the Rio Olympics in 2016.


Follow us on Twitter @17_Management @TomBosworth 

#athletics #RaceWalking #BritishChampion #Sponsorship #Olympics

Thursday 14 May 2015

Hannah - becoming a role model

Back at the start of the year, I was approached to consider an opportunity to appear in a marketing campaign for a lingerie brand. Now whilst I am very confident in who I am, the thought of appearing in my underwear for a marketing campaign worried me a little. I'm a disabled athlete and its hard enough to gain exposure for me and my sport without being seen the wrong way. I want to be taken seriously as an athlete.

However, when the campaign was explained to me and I saw some mock images of what they visualised, I couldn't wait to be involved and am now honoured to have been selected. I don't really see myself as a role model, I just do what I do and work hard at it, but if I can inspire other people along the way then I'm really happy.

Panache Lingerie have just launched a pioneering campaign to change the face of how women are portrayed in the media and by advertisers by creating REAL role models who women and girls can relate to and aspire to be like.

Being part of the Modelled by Role Models project has been an incredible journey and I've met other completely inspiring girls along the way and heard their stories and what drives them.


The photos were taken in March and we were all sworn to secrecy until the launch, which was held at BAFTA in London this week.  It was great to see all the girls again and to finally see all our photos and videos together.  It was a really empowering evening and I hope other girls and women will see the images and realise we are all different, yet we are all still beautiful.

Follow me on Twitter @HCDream2012
#modelledbyrolemodels #myrolemodel #panache #inspirational #women

Wednesday 6 May 2015

Julie and Ben join Hannah as BT Ambassadors

BT today demonstrated its commitment to disability sport and the development of the next generation of Paralympic talent with the appointment of two new athletes to its ambassador team, Julie Rogers and Ben Rowlings.

Julie and Ben were unveiled as the latest BT Ambassadors at a mentoring session at Loughborough’s High Performance Athletics Centre with Paralympic Gold medallists and BT Ambassadors Jonnie Peacock and Hannah Cockroft.

With all four athletes hoping to compete at the 2015 IPC World Athletics Championships in Doha in October, the mentoring session was an opportunity for Jonnie and Hannah to share their experience and knowledge of competing on a world stage, as well as provide expert training tips.

Julie Rogers was one of the youngest participants in the London 2012 Paralympic Games, representing Great Britain in the Sitting Volleyball team. She has since changed her sport to athletics, where she has become one of the fastest female single leg amputee sprinters in the UK. Julie was born with a congenital disorder and had an operation to shorten her leg at the age of five in order to be able to use an above-the-knee prosthetic limb.

Ben Rowlings is a wheelchair-racing athlete, competing in the T34 class. He won a Bronze medal in the 2014 European Championships and is the current British record holder over three distances. As part of the Team GB World Class Performance Programme, Ben is currently training for the 2015 World Championships in Doha and the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. He has Spastic Diplega Cerebral Palsy, which affects all four of his limbs.

Julie Rogers says, “I’m thrilled to be joining the BT Ambassador team. BT has done so much for disability sport and has helped so many athletes like me realise their dreams. The mentoring session BT organised today has been really valuable to me. Jonnie and Hannah are two athletes I look up to, so to have the chance to get some training tips is definitely going to help me going forward.”

Ben Rowlings adds, “Today has been an amazing opportunity to find out more about competing on a world stage. With the IPC World Championships and the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games on the horizon, hearing about Jonnie and Hannah’s experiences has been invaluable. BT’s long-term commitment to Paralympic sport is unrivalled and I'm excited to be joining their Ambassador team."

Jonnie Peacock, who won a Gold medal in the 100m at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, explains, “BT has been supporting me as an athlete for four years now, so I know exactly how their support can help up-and-coming talent. If there is anything I can do to help nurture and develop the next generation of Paralympic talent so that we win more medals as a nation, then I am always up for it. Spending time with Julie and Ben today has shown me just what a great GB team we have. I’m looking forward to seeing how well they do and will be cheering them on.”

Hannah Cockroft, who won two Gold medals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games adds, “I’ve had a fantastic day here at Loughborough, swapping stories and training tips with Jonnie, Ben and Julie. Paralympic sport has come on leaps and bounds over the last few years, and a lot of that is down to BT’s support and commitment. With the IPC World Championships later this year and the Rio Paralympic Games next year, we’re all focused on making Great Britain proud and bringing home lots of medals.”

Suzy Christopher, head of brand partnerships at BT, says, "We're delighted to welcome Julie and Ben into our Ambassador team, and will be following their progress, alongside that of Jonnie and Hannah, as the new athletics season begins and preparation for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games gets underway."

BT is a long-term supporter of disability sport in the UK and leading organisation in inclusion and diversity as well as the founding partner of the British Paralympic Association.

#Paralympics #Ambassadors

Monday 4 May 2015

Rob Oliver becomes European Champion

Solihull Paracanoe star Robert Oliver became European Champion at the weekend, whilst competing in Racice, Czech Republic. Rob took gold in the KL3 200m at the Senior European Paracanoe Sprint Championships. Having placed first in his semi-final on Friday, Rob went on to win the final on Saturday by 0.58 seconds ahead of Tom Kierey of Germany, Mateusz Surwilo from Poland was third.


On winning his first European title, Rob said, "I am absolutely buzzing to have already achieved so much this year, after taking the decision to become a full time athlete last year with the support from UK Sport / National Lottery funding and British Canoeing. To win at the Euros is a great way to start the year and I am really looking forward to the World Championships in Milan".


Rob was a talented footballer up until 2008 when, aged 20, he broke his leg during a match. Later, following no fewer than 17 operations, he was forced to have his leg amputated due to medical negligence. Rob thought his life as a sportsman was over but two years later he climbed into a kayak and was given a new lease of life in Paracanoe. “In 2011 I set myself a goal to be the very best which, to me, means World and Paralympic Champion” said Rob, "I have a great team around me at British Canoeing and at 17 Management and I am very thankful to me generous sponsors; SCC, Blatchford, Overboard and Village Urban Resorts, they all help make everything possible".


Becoming European Champion was only one of Rob's targets this year, as he will also be looking to represent Great Britain at the World Championships taking place in Milan, Italy during August. Then, in 2016, all thoughts will turn to Rio where Paracanoe will make its' debut at the Paralympic Games.

You can find out more about Rob on his website www.robertolivergb.com

Follow us on Twitter @17_Management   @RobertOliverGB

#EuropeanChampion #Paracanoe #WorldChampionships #Paralympics