Sport NI has invested over £400,000 in 124 elite athletes through its 2023/24 Athlete Award Programme.
The Athlete Award is designed to support emerging talent by providing additional financial assistance as they join a performance pathway for the first time, limit the obstacles in their journey to achieve future success, as well as reinforce their potential on the world stage.
Made possible thanks to National Lottery funding, Sport NI’s Athlete Award has been the beginning of many glittering careers including six-time Paralympic 100m Champion Jason Smyth, four-time 800m and 1500m Paralympic Champion Michael McKillop and current Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist Boxer Michaela Walsh, who has also recently sealed her place at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
This year the Athlete Award is split between 23 sporting organisations with 76 individuals and two team sports, comprising of 48 athletes, receiving funding. The funded athletes come from a wide range of sports including netball, hockey, taekwondo, bowls, surfing, equestrian and wheelchair basketball.
The Athlete Award is the first investment step towards reaching a National Funding scheme from UK Sport or Sport Ireland. 12 athletes from the 2022/23 programme have made the step up to the UK Sport Athlete Performance Awards or Sport Ireland Carding Scheme showcasing the success of the programme.
The Award also brought home success from the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham where 51% of Team NI athletes were supported by the investment with seven of those bringing home medals.
Antoinette McKeown, Sport NI Chief Executive said: “At Sport NI we are committed to supporting our athletes to be among the best in the world. Thanks to National Lottery players our Athlete Award supports athletes during critical transitions of their journey in performance sport, providing funding to allow them to focus on their sport and achieve their full potential.
“This investment is especially important during the current cost of living crisis, alleviating some of the financial pressures facing athletes as they pursue their dream of competing on the biggest stage.
“The programme is a stepping stone to secure a place on a national funding scheme. For example, we have seen several athletes move up onto the Sport Ireland Carding Scheme this year including rowers Nathan Timoney, Hugh Moore, Konan Pazzaia and Ciaran Purdy, Boxer Carly McNaul and Para Triathlete Chloe MacCombe along with other gymnasts, boxers, archers and more.”
One athlete riding high is 27-year-old BMX rider Ryan Henderson. After a motocross accident, the Bangor native took up BMX and decided to go all in on his dreams.
After receiving the Athlete Award for the first time last year, Ryan has once again been successful after a momentous year of becoming the first competitor from Ireland to reach the final of a BMX freestyle event at the European Championships. His next goal is the Olympics.
He said: “The Athlete Award came at a really good time for me. I made the choice to go to a competition in Madrid and I didn’t have a lot of money. I thought I will deal with paying rent when I get back.
“On the last day when I was coming back, I got the email saying I had been awarded the money, so I am very grateful.
“Sport NI has been a massive help with the funding, it makes a massive difference. It takes away the stress and pressure off which you are under from working as hard as you can to try and perform as well as you can.
“I know many people are in the same position trying to chase their dream and it’s money that is holding them back. I would love to be the first Irish person at the Olympics in BMX, not just for myself but so that a programme could be put in place for kids to follow.”
To find out more about the Athlete Award, please visit: www.sportni.net/funding/athlete-award-programme-2023-24/