Young athletes can get much-needed support as part of a development scheme championed by Olympic medallist Colin Jackson.

Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions is providing support for up-and-coming athletes with facilities and funds to continue their training.

The company runs Harrow Council-owned leisure centres and ten local athletes are being recruited at Bannister Sports Centre and Harrow Leisure Centre this year.

Selected athletes are being offered gold, silver or bronze levels of support that allows access to 190 Everyone Active’s leisure facilities, with higher-tier levels being offered funding for training and competition costs.

Some of the athletes in the scheme include Rachel Miller, the 2019 British Indoor Champions Silver Medalist, and Muller Indoor Grand Prix 2019 finalist.

Olympic silver medallist Colin Jackson is supporting the scheme as an ambassador. He said: “I’m proud to be involved with a scheme that is so dedicated to supporting athletic talent from grass roots up.

“It’s important that we drive sporting excellence in our country, and the Everyone Active Sporting Champions scheme is already supporting hundreds of talented athletes to achieve their sporting dreams.”

Alongside up-and-coming athletes, experienced Olympic and Paralympic athletes like gold medal-winning gymnast Max Whitlock and Team GB hockey captain Alex Danson are also supported by the scheme.

Since launching, Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions has invested more than £500,000 to help over 1,000 athletes achieve success.