Ambassadors

Ambassadors

Daryll Neita

Daryll Neita is a British sprinter. She won Olympic bronze medals in 2016 and 2021, and World Championship silver medals in 2017 and 2019 in the 4 × 100m relay. More recently, she won Bronze medals at both the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the European Championships. Her 100m best of 10.90 secs (achieved at the 2022 Commonwealth Games) puts her second on the UK all-time list behind Dina Asher-Smith.

Ahead of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 Daryll said, "It’s fantastic to be supported by GSF for another year, as I have been backed by the foundation for many years it is a great help in my journey, I would not be where I am today without the help of GSF. It’s so special that GSF has been a part of my career all these years especially this year as there is a home championship, it means the world to have the support. Thank you!" 

Kyle Kothari

Kyle Kothari is an English diver representing Great Britain and England in competition. At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, he won a silver medal in the 10 metre mixed synchronised platform, and placed fourth in the 10 metre synchronised platform. He is also a 2022 European champion in the 10 metre mixed synchronised platform and the 10 metre synchronised platform.

“Last year was my most successful sporting year to date - becoming double European champion and a Commonwealth Games medallist topped off a perfect season. This year I am hoping to build on this by retaining our European title in the Men`s 10m synchro and pushing for an Individual spot for the Paris 2024 Olympics.”

Amy Truesdale

Amy was born without a left hand, and had started off her martial arts career nearly 26 years ago. Fighting against able-bodied athletes she achieved multiple world Champion aswell as international fighter of the year. In 2009, Amy was presented with the opportunity to become a Paralympic tae-kwon-do athlete.
 
Her achievements include double world Para champion four times European champion and the first person to qualify on ranking points for the Tokyo Paralympic games where she achieved a bronze medal. 

Kimberley Woods

"When I was just starting out in paddling I was supported by GLL through Rugby Borough Council with the Excellence in Sports Awards in 2008. Now 15 years later I feel incredibly proud to become an ambassador to help inspire people who are also at the start of their journey. I have been a part of the GB teams since 2011 tallying up a total of 57 medals as an individual but also in team events.
 
Having 2 World Championship Medals across 2 Olympic events in 2021/2022 alongside an Olympic Final in Tokyo are just one of many highlights in my career and I hope with the support of GLL I can reach the next Olympics and go for gold. 
 
In 2023 we have a Home World Championships, an Olympic Qualifying Event where I will look to fight and battle it out for my first individual world titles giving me a good platform to be selected for Paris. Canoe Slalom is also in the European Games for the first time in Krakow and I am super excited for the sport to be showcased on another platform to hopefully inspire more people to join the sport!"

Chris Skelley

Chris Skelley is a Visually impaired Judo fighter. In 2020 Chris Achieved his ultimate dream and became Paralympic champion, winning Gold in the under 100kg category in Tokyo. He is also a multiple World medalist and European champion. He is currently aiming to become double Paralympic champion at next years Paris 2024 Paralympics, which has not been achieved in 25 years. 
 
‘GLL’s funding helps me cover the costs of crucial training camps, ensuring I’m training in the best judo nations around the world. As well as this, having access to GLL’s fantastic facilities, helps to ensure I can undertake the training I need around the country when I don’t have access to our national centre’

Leah Wilkinson

Leah is a Welsh and Great Britain international hockey player. In 2004 she made her international debut for Wales against Ireland. She took over the captaincy of her country in 2018 and on 1 June 2019 she became not only the most-capped hockey player but the most-capped Welsh sportsperson. 
Leah has represented Wales in the last four Commonwealth Games. She made her debut for Great Britain in 2019 v India and won a bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. 

"GSF funding has allowed me to train at the highest level whilst feeling supported. I have been able to access gyms and support over the past few years which has been priceless, I am very grateful."

Anna Hursey

Anna Hursey is a Welsh table tennis player. She is thought to be the youngest person to represent Wales at senior level in any sport, having been aged just 10 when she competed for Wales in a European Championship qualification match against Kosovo in 2017.  Anna competed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, and more recently, the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where she came third in the women's doubles event securing the Bronze Medal.

"I am thankful for the support from GSF, helps me to be able to train and compete internationally which is needed for me to develop and compete at major tournaments like The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham"

Imani-Lara Lansiquot

Imani-Lara Lansiquot is an English sprinter who competes mainly in the 100 metres. She finished fourth in the 100 metres finals at both the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships and the 2017 European U23 Championships. 

In the 4 × 100 metres relay, she won a gold medal at the 2018 European Championships, silver at the 2019 World Championships (where she ran in the heats but not the final), and bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Her 100 metres best of 11.09 secs, ranks her fourth on the UK all-time list.

“GLL has been a part of my journey from a youth level up to now being a senior athlete. I have spent the last few years establishing myself at a European level and the next step now is to push myself into the top rankings of women in the world. The support from GSF will allow me easy access to my training centre, as well as various others, to ensure that I’m able to access world class facilities to aid with training and recovery.”

Joe Clarke

Joe Clarke is the 2016 Olympic Champion in the canoe slalom men's K1, making history at the Rio Games by winning GB's first gold medal in this event and Team GB's second gold medal of the Games.

Joe is the current double men's extreme slalom World Champion, putting down some blistering performances in both Augsburg and Bratislava to take gold in the new Paris 2024 Olympic event. He became Britain's first senior World Champion in the discipline too, despite initially missing out on qualification until a spot was handed back. 

2022 also saw Joe claim two silvers, one at the World Championships in the men's K1 team event, and an individual medal at World Cup 2 in Krakow, a strong course for Joe.

Matty Lee

Matthew “Matty” Lee is a British diver and Olympic gold medallist. He has won the gold medal in 10-metre platform at the 2015 European Games, the mixed 10-metre synchronised platform at the 2017 European Diving Championships and has twice been European junior champion on the 3-metre springboard. 

At world level, Matty won the silver medal in the mixed 10-metre synchronised platform event at the 2017 World Championships, and at the 2019 World Championships, Matty and Tom Daley won bronze in the 10 m synchro event. Continuing to build on their success, they then went on to secure the gold medal in July 2021 at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

At the 2022 World Aquatics Championships held in Budapest, Matty partnered with Noah Williams for the first time in an international competition and they won silver in the synchro 10 m platform event. They partnered again at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the synchro 10m platform, where the pair won gold! In the individual events, Matty also won a bronze in 10 m platform.

Matty was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to diving.

Andrea Spendolini Siriex

Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix is a British professional diver. In her breakthrough year of 2022, she became a World junior, two-time European senior, two-time Commonwealth Games and two-time national senior champion across 10 metre platform and 10 metre synchronised platform events, as well as a World senior medalist in the team event.

She made her international debut in 2018 as a thirteen year old, and won her first solo international gold medal at the 2020 FINA Diving Grand Prix. Later that year Andrea was recognised as the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year. 

She won the gold for the women's individual 10 metre platform at her first Commonwealth Games, in 2022, the first English woman to win the event since 1966. Two weeks later, she became European Champion in the same event, representing Great Britain. Andrea went on to win a further gold at each event in the synchronised discipline, at the European Championships with Lois Toulson, and at the 10 metre mixed synchro event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games with Noah Williams.

Louis Rolfe

Louis Rolfe is a British Paralympic track cyclist. Rolfe came to note as a cyclist during the 2016 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships where he was part of the gold medal-winning British team sprint event. Rolfe was inspired to take up para-sport after being inspired by the events of the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in London.

“I have continued to work hard to keep improving my performance following the Rio Paralympic Games and have competed at the National Track Championships and the C1 International Paracycling cup this year and medalled at both events. I am still focused and very much loving my full-time cycling life at present. The continued support from GLL means so much to me, I appreciate being able to use the excellent gym facilities very much.”

On 31 December 2016 Rolfe was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours list. After switching from Cycling to Triathlon in early 2022, Louis has enjoyed his first year with British triathlon and has his sights set on Paris 2024.

Erin Kennedy

Erin Kennedy is a coxswain with the GB Rowing Team and is a Paralympic Champion from Tokyo. She is also two time World Champion, two time European Champion and World Record Holder and has recently overcome breast cancer. She has returned to international competition after taking a number of months off for chemotherapy and a double mastectomy and is once again on track to compete at Paris 2024.   
 
Erin says “I am passionate about supporting the next generation of Great British talent and I am delighted to be a GLL Ambassador. Sport has given me so much in my life and has helped me through some very difficult times. The support from GLL has been essential to getting me back to full health for my campaign for Paris 2024.” 

Aaron Mckibbin

Aaron is a British 3x Paralympic table tennis Medalist, world and European medalist born with bi-lateral talapies representing Great Britain internationally for over 10 years.
 
“GLL was my first form of Financial support as a young athlete and I remember the incredible feeling of being supported but also the help that gave me towards improving in my sport. GLL has supported world-class athletes over the years you only have to look back at all the Olympic and Paralympic medalists that have benefited during their early careers be it access to training space, gyms, or financial. It’s a great feeling to be a GLL foundation ambassador and is a foundation I believe is hugely important to young athlete's development”

Noah Williams

Noah Williams is an English diver who represents Great Britain and specialises in the 10 metre platform event. Noah won his first national title in 2015 , and won a bronze medal in his European debut. In 2016, he won the British Junior Elite Platform, and won another bronze at the European Junior Championships in the same event. 

At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Noah partnered with Matthew Dixon in the men's synchronised 10 metre platform where they secured the silver medal.  At the 2019 European Diving Championships held in Kyiv, Noah won silver in the Mixed 10 m platform synchro, a bronze in Men's 3m synchro, as well as in the team event. In March 2020, Noah won his first individual international title at the first event of the 2020 FINA Diving World Series which was held in Montreal, Canada, winning gold in the Men's 10m Platform.

More recently, at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships held in Budapest, Noah partnered with Matty Lee for the first time in an international competition and they won silver in the synchro 10 m platform event. Then at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Noah and Matty won gold in the synchro 10m platform. In Birmingham, he also won gold in the mixed synchro 10m platform with Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix. Following this, he also won a silver at the 2022 European Aquatics Championships in the men's 10m platform final.

Lucy Charles

Lucy Charles-Barclay is an English professional triathlete specialising in the Ironman and 70.3 distances, who is the 2021 World Champion in that discipline. Prior to taking up triathlon, Charles was an elite distance and open water swimmer. Lucy made her debut in triathlon in 2014 and went on to win the 18–24 women’s age category at the 2015 Ironman World Championship as an amateur, son becoming a professional thereafter. 
 
In April 2018, at Ironman South Africa, Lucy won her second Ironman race. In the same year, she again won Challenge's The Championship. In September, she came second at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. At the 2018 Ironman World Championship in October, she again landed in second place and broke the swim record with 48:13 minutes. 
 
In 2019, Lucy won Challenge Roth and the European Ironman Championships with her personal record of 8:31:09 hours for the entire race. She followed that with a third consecutive second place finish at the 2019 Ironman World Championship, clocking 8:46:44. In 2021, she won the Ironman 70.3 World Championship, finishing over 8 minutes faster than her nearest competitor.

Graeme Thomas

Graeme Thomas is among the world-class rowers to have progressed through the GB Rowing Team Start talent identification and development programme. Graeme is a former rugby union player who switched to rowing at the age of 20 and has already helped the men’s quadruple scull set new medal milestones at the World Championships. In 2021, he won a European bronze medal in the double sculls in Varese, Italy. Then he went on to win the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta. 

“The GLL foundation has supported me for a number of years now and even after the events in Rio 2016 they continued to support me and thankfully I was able to ‘bounce back’ sooner than I expected with a strange turn of events at the World Championships last year, winning silver in an event I wasn’t selected for, so thank you for your support.  I hope I can share this story of resilience with the younger GLL athletes as they start their sporting careers.”

Suzanna Hext

Suzanna is a Paralympic swimmer, and burst onto the scene of British Para Swimming in 2019, claiming a pair of medals at her debut World Para Swimming championships. Suzanna previously competed in Para Dressage becoming Triple European Gold Medallist in 2017.
 
At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Hext finished fourth in both the 100m and 200m Freestyle final.
 
Suzanna said "I am hugely grateful to GLL for the continued support on my journey over the past few year. GLL’s support is outstanding and has meant I can access the GLL Leisure centres for training free of charge. I am at a GLL Leisure centre most days, and everyone is always so supportive. It means a huge amount to me."

Simon Lawson

Simon is the son of former professional speedway rider, Steve Lawson. Simon grew up riding BMX bikes, becoming a junior British Speedway champion before a crash in 2001 that paralysed him from the chest down. He turned to wheelchair marathon and by 2015 was the second-fastest Brit at the London Marathon, finishing behind only Paralympic legend and role model David Weir, who also pipped him for gold at that year’s Great North Run, where Lawson took silver. Lawson's successes continued, setting a British record time of 1:25:06 at the Boston Marathon in 2017 and winning the Great North Run for the first time that year. In 2018, he claimed T54 marathon bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast and again in Birmingham for the 2022 Commonwealth games. 

Following his success at the Commonwealth Games Birmingham 2022, Simon said "I am proud to be a GSF athlete and couldn’t have achieved my medal without the help and support!" 

Melissa Reid

Melissa Reid is a British Paralympic triathlete. She won a bronze medal in the 2016 Summer Paralympics in the Women’s PT5. The 2017 season, saw her win gold at the Kitzbühel ETU Triathlon European Championships,she also won two bronze medals one at the Yokohama ITU World Paratriathlon Series and one at the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Rotterdam. 

Melissa suffered a prolapsed disc towards the tail end of 2017 which put her out of contention for 18 months. Despite the injury, her 2019 return saw her win two golds at the Besancon ITU Paratriathlon World Cup and the Magog ITU Paratriathlon World Cup. She went on to claim three consecutive silvers at the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Lausanne, Tokyo ITU Paratriathlon World Cup, and the Valencia ETU Paratriathlon European Championships in 2019. More recently, she achieved a top ten finish at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020.

“Taking 3rd at the Paralympic Games in Rio gave me even more motivation to continue on to Tokyo 2020 and improve on a bronze medal. 90% of my training is done in Cornwall where I live. Being able to train at home makes it much easier and enjoyable. I use the leisure facilities most days and have done since I was 11 years old.”

Lucy Shuker

Lucy is a British wheelchair tennis player. A previous singles & doubles National Champion, Lucy has represented Great Britain at three successive Paralympic Games, twice winning a bronze medal in the women's doubles. Lucy is a former World Doubles Champion and World Team Cup Silver Medallist amongst a number of other National and International successes.

In 2008, she competed in the singles and doubles events for the first time in Wheelchair tennis at the Beijing Paralympics. Lucy made history at the London 2012 Paralympics alongside fellow Brit Jordanne Whiley when the pair became the first women to win a medal for Great Britain in wheelchair tennis, coming from match point down to secure Bronze in the women's doubles event. Lucy and Jordanne retained their Bronze medal status in the Women's Wheelchair Doubles at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio. 

In 2016, Lucy won her first Doubles Masters title, partnering Diede de Groot to the title. In 2018, Lucy made a return to a Grand Slam final when she partnered Sabine Ellerbrock to reach the Wimbledon Doubles Final, and in 2021 she also reached the Australian Open Doubles Final with KG Montjane. In June 2021 she and Jordanne Whiley were among six tennis players named to represent the UK at the postponed 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo.

Jonathan Webb

Jonathan, also known as JJ started fencing at the age of 11 and has worked his way up the ranks quickly. JJ is one of six British Sabre Fencers who was on the British Fencing World Class Programme. 

JJ said, “I am very proud to have been awarded the  Ambassador Award and to have represented my borough in this role. It has been a privilege to act as a sporting ambassador and role model for the younger generation in the borough.”

Ruqsana Begum

Ruqsana is a world champion in Muaythai kickboxing, having represented Great Britain at the world championships all over the world, Ruqsana was also the captain of the GB team. After accomplishing her goals in Muaythai, she set her sights on becoming a double world champion in two different sports and transitioned into professional boxing, where she was signed by the former heavyweight world champion David Haye. 
 
In 2020 Ruqsana published her autobiography Born Fighter which won several awards including sports book of the year, autobiography of the year, and shortlisted sports book of the 21st century. 

Kim Daybell

Kim is a Doctor and Paralympic table tennis player. He is an 8 time national champion, previous Commonwealth silver medallist and 2 time Paralympian. 

"GSF has been supporting me through my journey for the past 4 years and given me the platform to achieve what I have on the sporting stage whilst also working as a doctor on the front line through the pandemic. An amazing foundation and team of people!"

Lilah Fear & Lewis Gibson

Lilah and Lewis teamed up in 2015 and are the four-time British Ice Dance Champions. Their dreams of becoming Olympians came true in Beijing this year, where they finished 10th. Lilah and Lewis are four-time Grand Prix medallists, and two-time Challenger Series gold medallists. This year they have qualified for the first time for the Grand Prix Final. 

At the World Championships in France in 2022, they finished in 6th place, achieving their top world placement thus far in their career. Their sights are firmly set on Milan 2026, and they are honoured to be a part of Team GB.

Rowan Mckellar

Rowan McKellar is a British rower. She won a silver medal in the eight at the 2019 European Rowing Championships. In 2021, she won a European bronze medal in the coxless four in Varese, Italy. Rowan competed in the coxless four at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. She won a gold medal in the coxless four at the 2022 European Rowing Championships and the 2022 World Rowing Championships.

“I have never been the biggest or strongest athlete. In order to break into the GB Rowing Team I had to ensure that every ounce of muscle and physicality I had was being used to make the boat go faster than anyone else. I have nothing to waste. In order to fulfil my dream of winning the Paris 2024 Olympic Games I have to ensure I continue to do this to the highest possible standard.”

Ekaterina Avramova

Ekaterina Avramova started her professional career in 2007. Ekaterina said: “I have been swimming for almost 20 years since I was a little girl. The dream of becoming an Olympian has been driving me all those years”. She is now a double Olympian from London 2012 & Rio 2016. 

As of December 2022, she is the Turkish record holder in the 100 and 200 m backstroke shortcourse, and the 50 m backstroke long course, and was part of the teams that hold the national record in the women's 4 x 50 m medley relay and mixed 4 x 50 m freestyle relay (shortcourse). Ekaterina is also a European Championship Finalist and World Championship Semi-Finalist.

Tully Kearney

Tully Kearney is a British Paralympic swimmer with Cerebral Palsy and Generalised Dystonia. She is Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Champion and silver medallist, and reigning triple World Champion. Tully holds 3 World Records and multiple European and British Records. Her breakthrough year came in 2015 when she won four Golds, a silver and a bronze at the World Championships in Glasgow, becoming GBR’s highest medal earner of the championships (following which she was runner up for the BBC Young SPOTY award). 

After qualifying for the Paralympic Games in Rio 2016, she unfortunately had to withdraw shortly before flying out due to an injury triggering a sudden and severe progression in her Dystonia. This meant taking an extended time out of the pool and having to learn to swim again with a much greater level of impairment than previously. Undeterred, she returned to competitive swimming becoming European Champion in 2018, triple World Champion in 2019 (following which she was awarded the Pride of Sport Award), Paralympic Champion in 2021 and triple World Champion in 2022. 

Tully also competes in FrameRunning and is Patron of Dystonia UK. She trains at the Manchester Aquatics Centre and Manchester Regional Arena, both of which are GLL facilities.’

Brodie Williams

Brodie Williams is a versatile backstroke and individual medley athlete who has won European and Commonwealth Gold - cementing his position on the British Swimming team following a successful 2022.

Brodie's 2022 summer campaign began at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, with the athlete achieving a best finish of fourth in the 200m Backstroke final. The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with Team England then followed, with Brodies taking three medals from three events, the highlight being a spectacular victory in the 200m Backstroke final. he then rounded off his summer with a trio of events at the European Aquatics Championships in Rome.

"My swimming career has been a steady journey, progressing year on year with highs and lows but my determination to achieve my dreams still burns strong. This year I have built on my Olympic experience just missing out on a medal at worlds, with a 4th place and winning gold at this years home games - the commonwealth games 2022 in both the individual 200 back and the 4 x 100 medley relay along with a silver in the 100 back. I believe I can keep progressing and my goal is Paris 2024 and to podium! "

Ben Cutmore

Ben Cutmore is an English diver who represents Great Britain. At the 2022 FINA Diving Grand Prix in Calgary, Ben won the silver medal in the 10 metre synchronised platform with partner Kyle Kothari.

At the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham, Ben placed fourth in the 10 metre synchronised platform. At the 2022 European Aquatics Championships in Rome, he won gold in the 10 metre synchronised platform.

“The GSF award will help towards training and competing a lot too with fees for both and especially competition accommodation and travel, it will allow me to compete in all the necessary competitions for me which will ultimately help me to achieve my goal of competing at the Olympic games”

Phoebe Franklin

Phoebe started playing cricket for Greenwich when she was ten years old, and progressed through the age group teams representing Kent County.
In 2020, she started playing for the regional team, the South East Stars. Since 2021, Phoebe has also been part of the exciting new format of the game, The Hundred, playing for Birmingham Phoenix for two years, and, in 2023, for Northern Superchargers.
 
“GLL has supported me for several years before and during my professional cricket career. Their support has enabled me to access a broad range of fitness facilities which has been key for my physical development. Their high-quality gyms and highly skilled staff have been available for me to access whenever I have been away from my team facilities. I am extremely happy to now be a GLL Sport Foundation Ambassador and grateful for the ongoing support”.

Grace Harvey

Grace Harvey is a swimmer that has represented Great Britain at numerous international competitions and England at the Commonwealth Games. She won Silver in the 100m breaststroke SB5 at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. The following year she became World champion in the 100m breaststroke SB5, alongside winning a silver in the 200m IM SM6 and bronze in the 100m freestyle S6. At the Commonwealth Games in the summer, Grace won a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke SB6 – racing up a class as her class wasn’t included in the Commonwealth Games schedule. Additionally she is a 10 time British Record holder and the current world number 1 in the 100m breaststroke SB5. 
 
The support from the GSF has been invaluable over the last few years, it has been amazing to be a part of a community where everyone is striving and achieving success in their sporting fields. GSF has also helped financially enabling me to attend competitions in Berlin and training camps in Lanzarote. 

Justin Levene

Justin is an international wheelchair athlete and is an active champion of disability rights around the world. "The support I have received over the years has been invaluable to my success. I have always wanted to give back as much as possible to GLL and hope that my continued engagement with my local centres has demonstrated this."

Gemma Howell

Gemma Howell competes in Judo and is a European Champion, Commonwealth Games silver medalist, Double Olympian London and Tokyo and 2 x Grand Prix Champion. 
 
"I am very grateful for the support from GLL over the years. It has helped me fund international training camps which are very important in judo so I can train with other athletes around the world. The dream is an Olympic gold medal in Paris so hopefully, these camps will help me achieve that. Thank you for all the help!"

Grace Reid

Grace Reid a Scottish diver representing Scotland and Great Britain, and specialising in 1 metre and 3 metre springboard disciplines. She is a double gold medallist at both the European Championships and the Commonwealth Games.

Grace made her debut for Great Britain at the 2015 European Diving Championships. At the 2016 European Aquatics Championships she won Gold in the Mixed 3 m springboard synchro with partner Tom Daley. She also won Bronze in the Women's 3 m springboard becoming the first Scot to win an individual European Championships diving medal for Great Britain since 1954.

“The support from the GLL sport foundation has allowed me to continue training and competing at the highest level. Having access to some of the best facilities in the country has helped me excel on the world sporting stage.”

Michael Jones

Michael "Mikey" Jones MBE is a British Paralympic swimmer classified as a S7 competitor for swimmers with physical disabilities. After being inspired by the London 2012 Olympics, Jones made a big impact on the sport in 2015, winning the British Summer Championships and qualifying for the 2016 Paralympics squad.

Michael’s career sprung into life during his first Paralympic Games in Rio, winning gold in the S7 400m Freestyle and making the final in both of his other events.

He did the same at European level two years later taking the gold in Dublin at the European Para Swimming Championships in the S7 400m Freestyle.

Louise Fiddes

Louise Fiddes became a world champion on her World Para Swimming Championships debut in London in 2019, claiming the SB14 100m Breaststroke title - and followed it up by winning two medals at her maiden Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. 

A quartet of swims at the 2022 Para Swimming World Series including the British-Para Swimming Meet saw Louise collect a bronze medal in her final swim, securing third in the Women's MC 200m Freestyle ahead of her second World Championship appearance in Madeira in June 2022.

Ellie Simmonds

At the age of 13, Ellie was the youngest British athlete at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, competing in the 50m, 100m and 400m freestyle, 50m butterfly, and 200m Individual Medley. She won gold medals in the 100m and 400m freestyle events.

In 2012, Simmonds repeated her gold performance to win the 400m freestyle at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, in which she took five seconds off the World Record time. Two days later, she took Gold in the 200m Individual Medley, breaking the World Record that she had set in the qualifying round that morning.

In 2016, at the Rio Paralympics, Ellie defended her Gold medal for the 200m individual medley setting a new world record, the first below 3 minutes at 2:59.81 Simmonds also won a bronze medal in the 400m freestyle at the 2016 Paralympics.

In addition, Ellie has won ten gold World Championship titles. Ellie has since retired but is still a Legacy Ambassador of the GLL Sport Foundation.

Tom Daley

Tom Daley is a British diver, specialising in multiple events. He is an Olympic gold medallist in the men's synchronised 10-metre platform event at the 2020 Olympics and double world champion in the FINA 10-metre platform event, winning in 2009 at the age of fifteen, and again in 2017. He is an Olympic bronze medallist in the 2012 platform event, the 2016 synchronised event, and the 2020 platform event, making him the first British diver to win four Olympic medals. 

He is a one-time Olympic champion, 3-time World Champion, 2-time junior World Champion, 5-time European champion, and 4-time Commonwealth champion.

Tom is a Legacy ambassador for GSF and has always been a great advocate of the foundation.

Susie Rodgers

Susie is a former Paralympic swimmer, a gold and bronze medallist in the S7 classification, who won a total of 30 international medals during her career, including 17 gold. Susie was awarded an MBE by Her Majesty the Queen following her retirement. Susie now advises on disability inclusion globally, is an Ocean Ambassador for the Marine Conservation Society in the UK and serves on several boards as a director. She still swims regularly in a Masters club and uses GLL facilities frequently. 

Susie said, “Throughout my career as an elite athlete, GLL was always by my side. I spent a lot of time in their pools and got to know all the staff very well during those early starts! I am grateful for their belief in me and the support I received financially during my career. However, it is since retiring that I have really connected deeply with the foundation. Not only can I use my platform to encourage other young athletes to apply for support as they start out in their careers, but equally I can demonstrate that sport doesn't and shouldn't stop once you reach retirement at the professional level. Whilst I rightly no longer receive funding, I do have access to GLL facilities and throughout the pandemic, being able to swim when we could access leisure centres again, really kept me going. So, GSF are with you as a current but also a retired athlete, which is a rare thing and for that, I am very grateful."

Hannah Russell

Hannah is a visually impaired para swimmer. She first broke onto the scene by winning a silver and bronze medal at the Paralympics in London 2012. Hannah bettered this in Rio by winning gold and setting a new world record in the 100m backstroke. Hannah also claimed three gold medals and European titles at the Dublin 2018 European Championships, each a straight final. 

More recently, At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games Russell won the gold medal in the S12 Women's 100m Backstroke and a bronze medal in the S12 Women's 100m Freestyle. At the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022, Hannah Russell won her first Commonwealth Games medal. She took the silver medal in the Women’s 50m Freestyle S13.

“Financial support from the GLL Sport Foundation has allowed me to purchase a new clock which has been a massive help for myself and other visually impaired swimmers that I train with. 2017 was a special year for me as I was awarded with my MBE at Buckingham Palace. I was so honoured that my achievements from Rio had been recognised in the New Years Honours List.”

Perri Shakes-Drayton

Perri is a British retired track and field athlete. After specialising in the 400 metres hurdles in the early part of her career, a knee injury at the 2013 World Championships forced Shakes-Drayton to concentrate on the 400 metres on her return to athletics. She is the 2013 European Indoor Champion in the 400 metres and won a 2012 World Indoor Championship gold medal in the 4 x 400 metres relay. She has also won silver and bronze medals in the 4 × 400 m relay at the World Championships.

Perri is a big supporter of GLL Sports Foundation and is a Legacy Ambassador. She is also a Trustee for the GSF board, Perri brings a wealth of knowledge and understanding from an athlete and their journey through sport. Which she and GSF Board members believe will provide much needed insight to support the development of the programme and continue to help athletes from all walks of life achieve their dreams.

Lotte Clapp

Lotte is Saracens Women's captain and winger. She has led her team to three premiership titles whilst gaining 126 caps for her club. 
This year Lotte began training with the USA Women's side and was later selected for a PAC4 tournament in New Zealand where she gained her first cap for the team. She was then selected in the World Cup squad where she headed back to New Zealand in October. USA managed to get through to the quarter finals where they lost to Canada. Lotte is a legacy ambassador for GSF and has always been a great supporter of the foundation.

"The funding and support that GLL has provided has meant that I have been able to balance being a full-time teacher whilst training and playing at an elite level too. I am very grateful for the resources GLL have provided, allowing training to be easier and more enjoyable."  

Jade Johnson

Jade represented Team GB at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics in the Long Jump. Jade placed 4th at the 2003 World Championships and won a silver medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. She also won a silver medal at the European Championships in Munich in 2002. Jade has since retired but is still a Legacy Ambassador of the GLL Sport Foundation.

Jade said, “I want to continue to work with the GLL Sport Foundation as a Legacy Ambassador and pass on my experience and knowledge to aspiring young sports people.”