Sainsbury's UK School Games : UK School Games Champion Ambassadors

Eight of the UK School Games Champion Ambassadors met the Prime Minister Gordon Brown on May 13 before the event's President Richard Caborn MP hosted a reception at the House of Commons.

The event took place to thank those behind the success of the Games and launch the UK School Games Champion Ambassadors programme.

The Champion Ambassadors programme will honour on an annual basis the outstanding performers from the UK School Games - many of whom will be tipped as competitors at future Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Each Champion Ambassador will play an active role in contributing to the future development of the UK School Games and raise its profile as patrons, while meeting annually with Richard to provide an insight into the event as part of the Athletes Commission.

From being the driving force behind the concept of the UK School Games to his current position of President of the multi-sport event for elite young athletes of school-age, Richard has worked closely with organisers the Youth Sport Trust.

Richard said: "I am both proud and delighted to be President of the UK School Games which is fast becoming the pinnacle of the school sport competitive calendar. The annual Games give Britain's best school-age athletes the opportunity to compete against each other - and show the rest of the country how talented they are.

"The UK School Games Champion Ambassador programme recognises the performances of those outstanding athletes across each sport who will become role models for their peers, help champion this inspirational event and, we hope, go on to win medals at major elite events.

"I will also be using the UK School Games Champion Ambassador programme as a sounding board for the development of the UK School Games for the future."

£6million pounds from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport has been awarded to the Youth Sport Trust through Legacy Trust UK, to develop the UK School Games in Bristol and Bath in 2008 and each year until 2011.

Andy Burnham MP, Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, said: "What better way to learn or be inspired than by mixing with young, exceptional athletes who have achieved gold in an event you are hoping to compete in.

"By sharing experiences and a passion for sport, the Champion Ambassadors scheme will give young people across the UK the skills and the confidence they need to compete at their highest level."

This year's inaugural group of UK School Games Champion Ambassadors are a combination of gold medal winners from the 2006 Games in Glasgow along with those selected for their potential performance status in relation to London 2012. All 12 Champion Ambassadors represent the four home countries and a range of sports including Paralympic events.

It is expected that each ambassador will serve for between one and three years, with future nominations being made by the National Governing Bodies and Home Country Sports Councils, which will then be considered by the panel and each year worthy Champion will be invited to become an Ambassador.

Later this year, record numbers of young athletes will compete at the 2008 UK School Games, when it is staged at four venues around Bath and Bristol from 28^th to 31^st August.

Alongside the new sport of hockey, competition will take place in badminton, judo, volleyball, athletics, fencing, gymnastics, swimming and table tennis, with disability events in athletics, swimming and table tennis also included.

The 12 2008 UK School Games Champion Ambassadors:

Athletics: Ashlee Nelson (England West Midlands)

2006 UK School Games 2 gold medals
2007 UK School Games 2 gold medals

Athletics: Aled Davies (Wales)

UK School Games 2007 gold medallist
World Junior Record in ambulant shot put

Athletics: Nathan Woodward (England West Midlands)

2006 UK School Games 1 gold medal

Badminton: Tony Stephenson (Northern Ireland)

2007 UK School Games boys' singles gold medallist

Fencing: James Honeybone (England)

2006 UK School Games individual bronze and team gold medallist
2007 UK School Games individual and team gold medallist

Gymnastics: Reiss Beckford (England)

2006 UK School Games: overall individual and team gold medallist

Judo: Emma Imrie, (Scotland)

2007 UK School Games gold medallist (-52kg category)

Swimming: Louisa Farrer-Fisher, (England South-West)

2006 UK School Games 4 times gold medallist
2007 UK School Games 4 times gold medals and one silver medal

Swimming: Emma Wilkins (England Midlands)

2007 UK School Games gold medallist

Table Tennis: Darius Knight (England South East)

2006 UK School Games boys' singles and boys' team bronze medallist
2007 UK School Games overall team gold medallist and boys' singles and boys' team silver medallist

Table Tennis: Jack Pegram (England South East)

2007 UK School Games mixed wheelchair and overall team gold medallist

Volleyball: Nathan French (England Midlands)

2007 UK School Games gold medallist

For the Sainsbury's 2012 School Games there will be two disciplines of cycling showcased. On the 7th and 8th May road cycling events will take place at Redbridge and on the 9th May the action heads over to the Olympic Park Velodrome for track cycling.

At the Sainsbury's 2012 School Games the swimming competition will take place at the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park, where later in the year it will play host to the world's elite athletes.