Harrogate District young sporting stars launch Olympic open weekend, 25 and 26 July
10 July
Eight 2012 Olympic hopefuls from across the Harrogate district are launching Harrogate Borough Council's Olympic Open Weekend 25/26 July 2009.
Over this weekend, all general activity and adult entry charges at the council's leisure centres and swimming pools will be set at £2.12 and all child activity entry charges will cost .48p 1948 was the last time the Olympics were in held in England.
Councillor Pat Jones, Mayor of the Borough, who has launched a charity fund to support this district's Olympic hopefuls has invited the following *young sporting stars to launch the weekend.
She said:
"There is a tremendous amount of young sporting talent in this district.
They are all totally dedicated to their chosen sport and all of their coaches want to see them do well. So do we."
Supporting the Mayor, Cllr Andrew Jones, Cabinet Member for Resources added: "By reducing the costs at our leisure facilities to highlight this open weekend, we hope it will persuade people to take up a sport or return to a sport they used to enjoy when they were younger.
We also want to raise the profile of these young people as I am sure we are going to hear a lot more about them in the future."
Open Weekend is the biggest annual public engagement event of the year for London 2012 and every region in the UK is taking part to mark 'three years to go'.
*Elite divers
Oliver Dingley (16) is in the top six of European junior divers and was selected in January to
represent Great Britain in the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney.
He was the youngest member to take part in the European seniors in Turin where he took 14
th place.
He has won eight national titles so far this year.
Jack Laugher (14) won four gold medals at the elite junior nationals in 2008 and earlier this year he gained silver medal at the British senior championship coming second to Tom Daley.
At the G-star championships held in Leeds recently he won two gold and one silver medal.
Both Oliver and Jack are members of Team GB's 2012 Olympic development squad.
Dinghy Racing
Brother and sister Samantha (14) and Christopher Towers (11).
Samantha, who came second on the Largs SC Topper Nationwide event, is concentrating on the 2009 national championships and also the world championships in Australia later this month.
Chris was selected for winter training with Team GB and will compete in all the national series.
Fencing
Caitlin Chang (16).
Caitlin recently won the U20 nationals and is currently number 1 British U17.
She also won Team Gold at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney earlier this year.
Athletics
Twins Josh and Sam Bentley (15) Josh holds the championship record for Yorkshire in the U15 triple jump and came third in the 2008 national championships.
Sam is Yorkshire Champion U17 and was joint 4th in the national championships in 2008.
Rowing
Christopher Wright (17) has recently trained with Team GB at Hazewinkel and recently took silver medal in the national schools' regatta.
ENDS
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY:
Flying the Olympic Flag - 10.00 am Monday,
13 July 2009, outside Harrogate Hydro Swimming Pool on Jennyfields Drive, Harrogate.
The Harrogate District Olympic hopefuls will be dressed in their various team and sporting kits (Sam and Chris are even bringing their dinghy).
MEDIA CONTACT:
Lynne Mee, Communications and Media Manager, 01423 556022 email
lynne.mee@harrogate.gov.uk or
mobile 07525 987921 or 07884 226409.
Full information about leisure activities at council sites is available at www.harrogate.gov.uk
NOTE TO EDITORS:
This event is supported by Yorkshire Gold, the region's Olympic Committee, to make the most of the benefits of the 2012 Games.
Yorkshire Gold is funded by Yorkshire Forward.
For more information see
www.yorkshire-gold.com or contact Kate Auld
katea@yorkshire.com 0113 322 3533/07824 376 863