Agility magazine // Issue 1 // April 2018

AgilityMagazine Issue 1 April 2018

Hannah

COCKROFT Why GB’s golden girl is training harder than ever

ALSO INSIDE: DAME SARAH STOREY | ANDY LEWIS | RICHARD WHITEHEAD | LAUREN ROWLES

MobilityForAll.com

W H E N W E A R E F R E E TO M OV E , A N Y T H I N G I S P O S S I B L E . Š2017 Toyota Motor Corporation. All rights reserved.

Editor's

Welcome Celebrating our Paralympics stars…

FIRSTLY, welcome to the launch issue of Agility Magazine – a brand new bi-monthly digital publication aimed at showcasing our Paralympian’s achievements and the best in disability sports.

We’ve pulled out all the stops for the first edition, with a string of multiple Paralympic Games gold medallists among our opening interviewees.

From athletics, we have five-time champion Hannah Cockroft along with the Commonwealth Games-bound duo of Scottish Athletics’ Ian Mirfin, Northern Ireland’s Jack Agnew and Richard Whitehead.

Elsewhere, Britain’s most successful female Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey discusses her cycling comeback following the birth of her second child, triathlete Andy Lewis focuses on inspiring the next generation, and rower Lauren Rowles charts her remarkable journey to Rio gold glory.

Judoka Chris Skelley and goalball star Adam Knott complete our prestigious list of interviewees.

That’s certainly not it for our launch edition, however. How could it be after the stunning success of GB’s athletes at the recent Winter Paralympics?

We review a fantastic Games, celebrating the exploits of Menna Fitzpatrick, Millie Knight and our other PyeongChang heroes.

Throw in our opening Project Showcase, the latest Paralympic and disability sports news, and some seriously inspirational videos throughout the magazine – and here we are. Enjoy!

Lee Jones Agility Magazine, Managing Editor Take a look at this great video from BP

Many thanks for the support of…

Agilitymagazine | 3

AgilityMagazine Issue 1 April 2018

Hannah

COCKROFT Why GB’s golden girl is training harder than ever

ALSO INSIDE: DAME SARAH STOREY | ANDY LEWIS | RICHARD WHITEHEAD | LAUREN ROWLES

Cover image: Hannah Cockroft © AWJ Publishing. All rights reserved.

ISSN-2516-4872 +44 7747 763977 info@awjpublishing.co.uk www.awjpublishing.co.uk Twitter: @Agility_mag Facebook: @AgilityMagazine Managing Editor: Lee Jones Digital Editor: Damien Wilde Sales Manager: Emily Saville Images: ParalympicsGB, British Athletics, Goalball UK, Scottish Athletics, Athletics Northern Ireland Design by:

info@newroadcreative.co.uk @newroadcreative Agility Magazine is published by AWJ Publishing. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of the Managing Editor or AWJ Publishing.

Reproduction is strictly prohibited without the written consent of the Publisher

Contents Issue 1 April 2018

8 10 16

RICHARD WHITEHEAD It’s the perfect year for Richard’s other passion inspiring others

HANNAH COCKROFT What’s the next challenge for our five-time Paralympic gold medallist?

ANDY LEWIS Inspiring the next generation is triathlon champ Andy’s main goal

20 24 38

CHRIS SKELLEY Tokyo 2020 will be a case of ‘unfinished business’ for this VI judoka DAME SARAH STOREY Britain’s most successful female Paralympian is back on the gold trail

LAUREN ROWLES Talent-spotted by British Rowing to Rio gold medal in a year-and-a-half Agilitymagazine | 4

42 44 48

ADAM KNOTT London Paralympian Adam is aiming to keep goalball in the spotlight IAN MIRFIN Scottish Athletics’ Ian on club Para sections and coaching Sammi Kinghorn

JACK AGNEW Northern Ireland wheelchair racer Jack takes on Agility’s ‘Quick Five’

HUUBDES IGN .COM /A LBACOR E

In the News...

Take a look at this great video from BP

ASOS outfits ParalympicsGB for Winter Games THE ParalympicsGB team were kitted out in style for the Winter Games thanks to ASOS’s three-outfit ceremony and formalwear wardrobe.

The fashion designer’s relationship with the team stretches back to the Rio Paralympic Games in 2016 when it first partnered with the British Paralympic Association to design and create formal and ceremony wear as part of the brand’s commitment to raising the profile of young adults with disabilities.

A reversible padded coat with the ParalympicsGB lion’s head motif kept the athletes warm during the ceremonies and the formalwear was created as premium heritage pieces, with bespoke branding including flashes of gold on embroidery and buttons. Practical elements such as noncrease and lightweight fabrications also helped to conform with baggage restrictions for the athletes who travelled to South Koreato compete at the Games.

Made up of opening and closing ceremony attire plus formalwear for official events back in the UK, the capsule collection was in development for over a year and reflects the latest trends. With a palette of navy, red and white to represent British colours, the designs take into account warmth, water and windproofing while remaining stylish and consistent with ASOS and ParalympicsGB values.

In a joint statement, ASOS designers, Aisling McKeefry and James Lawrence, said: “We were incredibly honoured to outfit the British Winter Paralympic team. We considered every detail on every piece to ensure the product exceeded the wearer’s expectations and made them feel their very best representing ParalympicsGBon the world stage.”

Boccia World Champs are just the ticket Leading the way is David Smith MBE who won gold at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.

TICKETS went on sale earlier this month for the BISFed 2018 World Boccia Championships.

The World Championships – funded by The National Lottery - are set to attract 190 players from 33 countries to the Exhibition Centre Liverpool from August 12-18.

Athletes will battle it out for world titles, as well as crucially important ranking points ahead of the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2020. Hopes are certainly riding high for the British team.

He said: “For us as athletes, it’s a huge coup that it is taking place on home turf.

“Support from a home crowd means everything – we felt it in London 2012 and it was spectacular – and I truly believe that knowing the crowd is willing you on really can lift your performance to another level.”

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Just flesh, bone and carbon fibre without the energy within.

BP is proud to have supported the Paralympic Movement for 10 years.

Tatyana McFadden Wheelchair racer United States

David Behre Sprinter Germany

W A

Watch a Richard Whitehead video here

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Richard

Whitehead ‘quiet year’ on the track gives Richard Whitehead the perfect opportunity to explore his other passion - inspiring others

I

T’S a strange year for many of our Paralympic athletics stars, with limited events at the Commonwealth Games and only August’s IPC European Championships to focus on for others.

Richard Whitehead will be aiming to defend his T42 100m and 200m titles at that competition, but is also using a relatively quiet year of competition to help and inspire others, as he told Agility…

“This year gives me the chance to do other things in the community – looking at where there is a need, whether that’s in schools, clubs or the voluntary sector and seeing where I can assist. It’s about identifying where people can utilise my profile within sport to bring benefits in those areas.

“For instance, at Christmas I helped to hand out Christmas dinners at a homeless shelter in Nottingham, which I found very rewarding. There are a lot of people out there in dire situations, so any way you can help can make a real difference.

“I’m also a brand ambassador with Virgin Media and they're aiming to get one million disabled people into employment, so we're thinking how we can utilise role models to motivate and inspire people to get back into work.

“I feel that anybody with a disability should have an opportunity to work. When I look back on my career, it’s been about working as hard as I can at everything I’ve done. That applies to employment as well as sport.

“You need to have role models in lots of different areas, not just sport, but the good thing about sport is that it highlights skills like determination, resilience and aspiration.

“It’s important that people with disabilities are viewed on their merits and employees see that people with disabilities can add to a workforce. I’m passionate about that and want to promote that in the future.

“I know there are a lot of disabled people out there who are disengaged with the workforce because they’ve got physical, emotional and mental barriers in place.

“For me, it’s about saying: This is what I’ve done. It’s not been easy but I’ve had great support mechanisms. Hopefully, people don’t see me as a double-leg amputee anymore, they see somebody who has been successful in their chosen field of athletics, but that could apply to anything – business, education or whatever.

“At this stage of my career I want to utilise the fact that I’m still in the sport and the platform that gives me. It’s all about supporting disabled people who are disengaged. It’s not just about disabled people though – everybody in society has barriers and obstacles to overcome - but disabled people do highlight that they can be overcome and you can be successful in whatever discipline or lifestyle you want.”w Agilitymagazine | 9

There could be no major championship for GB’s golden girl to target this year, so what motivates her? Staying ahead of the competition - that’s what

COCKR Agilitymagazine | 10

Hannah

KROFT Agilitymagazine | 11

“The competition is definitely getting harder and closer every single year. I always knew that was going to happen.”

H

ANNAH COCKROFT’S domination of the T34 class since bursting onto the senior scene at the 2011 World Championships in Christchurch has been nothing short of remarkable.

Five Paralympic gold medals, ten World titles, two European crowns and world records galore – across distances ranging from 100m to 800m.

With no Paralympics or Worlds this year, and her participation in August’s European Championships still in doubt, the 25-year-old could be forgiven for ‘easing off’ in 2018.

However, for any elite-level athlete there is always a nagging doubt. Are their rivals taking the opportunity to train harder and smarter as they look to close the gap?

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“It’s an odd situation,” Cockroft told Agility Magazine as she contemplates a year of competition which may start and end with the British Wheelchair Racing Championships next month followed by the prestigious Swiss Grand Prix meeting.

“My main rival is Alexa Halko from the US, and I can’t see any opportunity when I’m going to meet her this year to see where she is at.

“I know she has made some big life changes; she has gone to university and moved away from home for the first time. That can affect people in really different ways, so it will be interesting to see how she comes back this season.

“Obviously, there is Kare Adenegan as well. If we go to the Europeans we’ll be competing against each other.

“Again, there have been big changes for her. She’s gone off to sixth-form and there may be a lot less of a workload there – there was for me anyway! There may be more time for her to focus on training, so it will be interesting to see how that affects her.

“I don’t see anything of them in the winter and they’re both quite quiet in the social media world, so it’s a waiting game. You try to motivate yourself by thinking ‘they might have done a really good session today, so I’ve got to go out and put the effort in’.

“The competition is definitely getting harder and closer every single year. I always knew that was going to happen, and I’ve reached that point where I can’t take seconds off a world record anymore – it’s more about taking points of seconds off.

“Alexa and Kare are 17 or 18 years old, so they’ve still got that bit of growing and progression left in them. For me, it’s about finding those little steps that can keep me ahead. If I can make those steps it’s helping progress our sport and our class – and making everyone quicker, not just myself.

“So yes, they definitely drive me along, and you never know who’s going to pop up next either. Someone who sat in the crowd and watched us race at London 2017 could have been inspired to get involved and take us on.”

Hannah Cockroft was in sensational form again at last year’s World Championships in London - beating key rivals Alexa Halko and Kare Adenegan, pictured above

As a result of those uncertainties regarding her big rivals, Cockroft continues to train hard and look at ways to go even faster.

She explained: “Training-wise, we’re just trying to finish things off now before I begin competing. I feel like I’ve had quite a strong winter – we were out in Australia in January and did plenty of mileage there, which was great.

“It’s quite a difficult year to find focus in and find a bit of motivation. I’m not guaranteed an event at the Europeans, so having no major competition at the end of the season provides its own challenges. That’s something I’ve worked towards for the last eight years, so to not have that this year is rather strange.

“On the flip-side, having a year like this can be nice.

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Watch Hannah Cockroft’s training update from Australia here!

Agilitymagazine | 14

“Someone who sat in the crowd and watched us race at London 2017 could have been inspired to get involved and take us on.”

There’s no pressure to it and I’ve been able to work on things that I’ve had to put on the back burner in the past.

That’s been nice – it’s been more relaxed and I’m feeling strong which is always a positive.

“We’ve had the last three major championships backto-back, Doha, Rio and then London. So the off-seasons have been really short, allowing no time for anything other than training.”

The upcoming Gold Coast Commonwealth Games could have offered an early-season solution to help sharpen Cockroft’s competitive edge – and add to her medal tally.

However, the Games’ relatively small athletics programme rules out that possibility.

“The Commonwealths is the one title I don’t hold, and not being able to have the opportunity to do that is frustrating. I would love to go there and compete for England for the first time.

“There’s only one men’s and one women’s wheelchair race. Maybe they could make that open class, so you don’t have to have the right disability – just let the fastest person go for it.

“It’s fantastic seeing Para and able-bodied events combined there, though. They’re getting the same crowds, the same media attention, and that’s fantastic.

Hopefully, come Birmingham in 2022, they might want a British favourite!

Cockroft is hopeful that May’s Swiss Grand Prix in Nottwil can provide a useful measure of her progress this year – or, even better, help fine-tune her preparations for the European Champs in Berlin.

“Sometimes Switzerland is bigger than the major championships for the wheelchair racers – every racer in the world usually goes and you’ve got a Paralympic lineup in every race,” she remarked.

“At the moment, I’m just preparing for that. I always compete well and perform well there so I want to use that as an opportunity to get some good times down early in the season.

“Following on from that we’ll know if I’ve got an event at the Europeans and I can make plans from there. If not, my season might be two competitions long!”

Beyond 2018, next year’s scheduled World Championships – provided a suitable host is found – offer another major event before the ‘big one’ in August 2020 when the eyes of the world will be on Tokyo.

After collecting two Paralympic gold medals in London, and three more in Rio, Cockroft is looking forward to another crack at the titles she wants the most.

She said: “I can’t believe it’s been two years since Rio. It feels as though it was yesterday, but we’ve only got two years to go until Tokyo. That’s the one I want to go to and perform at. I need to keep fit and continue improving, so I can go there and be the best I can be.

“It is hard sometimes remembering that because two years sound like such a long time, but it’s really not that long at all!”w Agilitymagazine | 15

ANDY

Lewis Andy Lewis admits that Tokyo 2020 could bring the curtain down on his Paratriathlon career – but hopes it’s just the start of the journey for many others

I

T’S early March and reigning Paralympic, World and European PT2 champion Andy Lewis is in Abu Dhabi competing in a World Triathlon Series event alongside the likes of Jonny Brownlee.

It’s a fantastic opportunity to help raise the profile of Paratriathlon, but Lewis isn’t solely in the Emirates to race.

Within a day of landing, the 35-year-old from Gloucestershire is at the world-famous Yas Marina Circuit hosting a cycling clinic for budding triathletes.

For a man exhilarated by London 2012, it’s the perfect way to provide similar inspiration to the next generation.

“I absolutely love working with kids,” he told Agility.

“For me, it’s all about trying to inspire them and get them involved in sport.”

The creation of his own dedicated business, Bespoke Mentoring, is a key part of Lewis’ aim.

Explaining how this enterprise will progress, he continued: “I’m doing a lot of work in the lead up to Tokyo, mentoring kids from disadvantaged areas – and not just in triathlon either. I’ve already started putting events on and bringing in other qualified coaches to support those.

“In February we had a swim camp and then in March it was a bike weekend. That was followed by a run session.

Then we had a mini triathlon where all the kids could piece together those disciplines.

“Next, we’re opening that up to schools and putting on an even bigger event to get the local people where I live involved and enjoying sport.”

Linking up with the Arctic One Foundation appears to be a perfect fit for Lewis.

The charity, which helps able bodied and disabled

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“I absolutely love working with kids. For me, it’s all about trying to inspire them and get them involved in sport.”

Watch Andy Lewis' story here

people to get involved in sport, is preparing for its fifth Tri and Para Festival at Dorney Lake on May 28th.

This year, the various mini triathlons for all abilities will sit alongside the ITU Paratriathlon World Cup for the first time.

“That event is going to be pretty big,” explained Lewis.

“I’ll be there and hopefully it will bring more people into triathlon as well.

“A lot of youngsters desperately want to do a triathlon, ride a bike or run, but if they haven’t got an adapted bike or running blade then they physically can’t do it. So Arctic One also hand out funding and grants throughout the year to kids that they feel will benefit from it.

“Over the last couple of years, since I’ve been helping them, they’ve given money to people to help buy running blades, prosthetics and all sorts of equipment. They’ve also helped them with travelling costs and expenses, so they’re very keen to support people and get them active.

“I do my coaching courses and help out at some of these events; I promote them and get involved because I

think it’s a great initiative and the right thing to do.

“After Tokyo 2020 this kind of work is where my heart is going to lie. I’ll be getting too old for the Paralympics, so working with disadvantage children and showing them what they’re capable of will become my focus.”

On his preparations for Tokyo, Lewis added: “After Rio I had to prove that it wasn’t just a fluke winning Europeans, Worlds, British and the Paralympics in one year. So last year I went out and did it again - with the obvious exception of the Paralympics.

“This year is the time for me to put myself under less pressure. Obviously, I want to win but I need a year when I can race when I want to and spend some time with my family.

“There are another two years to 2020, so it’s about training hard and resting easy.”

“I’ve still got a lot to learn as a triathlete. It’s all about the little gains now which will hopefully lead to the big result when I get out to Tokyo. It would be nice to do it twice!”w

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Agilitymagazine | 20

Chris

Skelley It’s a case of “unfinished business” for Chris Skelley as he aims to turn Paralympic pain into glory

I

T was an emotional Chris Skelley who celebrated gold at the IBSA European Judo Championships last August.

After narrowly missing out on a medal at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio, the under-100kg competitor could hardly conceal his delight – and relief – following his Euro victory on home turf in Walsall.

However, the 24-year-old admits that only a gold medal at Tokyo 2020 will truly exorcise the demons of Rio… How are your preparations going this year?

Turkey is the first qualification event for Tokyo 2020 and hopefully I can do well there, and then progress into a massive year for us because we’ve got the World Cup and World Championships. That’s what we’re all preparing for at the moment - we’re training very hard as a team.

I had a really good year in 2017, winning my first European title and taking medals at numerous VI (visually impaired) events, so it’s been about pushing on and constantly trying to improve my judo.

How do you reflect on the Rio 2016 Paralympics?

There’s a lot of unfinished business from Rio where I lost out on the bronze medal and I was absolutely gutted, so that will be my main drive for the years to come.

I was so close and it really did hurt me and my coach.

We trained so hard before the Games – we were getting up at 6.30am and working our socks off to get a medal, but we didn’t succeed.

I put all my effort into that day and it was a hard one to swallow - missing out on a medal when I could almost touch it.

Rio itself was one of the best experiences of my life and I met my girlfriend there as well! It was gut-wrenching

Agilitymagazine | 21

not getting a medal, but I got so much from it and I’m a pretty lucky guy.

Has that made you more determined to succeed in 2020?

I was gutted after Rio but these things are sent to test us.

I’ve definitely come back stronger and more focused on my goal in the future, which is getting a gold medal for Great Britain at Tokyo.

It’s ignited an even bigger fire within me to go out there and come back with the title. Hopefully, I can get that and move forward.

I want to win, that’s my main goal and I don’t want to accept a bronze or silver. I will put all my will and vigour into getting that gold medal, and if I do win it in a very hard category I’ll be ecstatic. There’s a lot of hard work to do over the next two-and-a-bit years before Tokyo though.

The events along the road to Tokyo are stepping stones, but at the same time Turkey, Abu Dhabi and Portugal are my chance to show the world that I’m here and that I’m a force to be reckoned with.

How strong is the Great Britain VI team looking?

British Judo has got a new flush of VI athletes and we’re more determined, more focused and more driven than ever before.

We’re a very close team and all in it together, which is great. That sounds a bit like High School Musical, but we are literally all in it together! We train together and pick each other up and carry on because these are the guys we’re hoping to go to the Paralympics with.

Hopefully, we can all get medals together as well. That would be an amazing story, to have shared my journey with these guys.

Is that team dynamic important in judo?

It’s an individual sport, but at the same time it’s also a team sport. We push each other in the gym sessions and judo sessions, and there’s no excuses or moaning - we get on with it, push each other and become a bigger and stronger team.

The Rio team was a very successful one and how we didn’t get any medals on the day was incredible.

That’s judo all over – you can be the most prepared and in-form judoka coming into a competition but if one person is having a better day than you it can all be snatched away.

Judo is such a beautiful sport but can also be a frustrating, heart-wrenching sport. All you can do is get your preparation right then perform to your optimum on the day.

Other than Tokyo gold, what are your other goals in the sport?

I want more people to get into judo so there are more judoka to push us, we have a bigger team and we have more depth in the team.

By 2020 we want more people doing judo at this level and getting more medals for Paralympics GB at Paris 2024 and beyond.w Agilitymagazine | 22

“I’ve definitely come back stronger and more focused on my goal in the future, which is getting a gold medal for Great Britain in Tokyo.”

Agilitymagazine | 23

Dame

Sarah

STOREY Britain’s most successful female Paralympian ever is back in action and on the gold trail again. There couldn’t be a better time for an Agility Q&A with Dame Sarah Storey

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Agilitymagazine | 25

B

Rio 2016 was Dame Sarah Storey’s seventh Paralympic Games, and she was able to celebrate more golden moments, with her young daughter Louisa, pictured below right

ACK on the bike five months after the birth of her son Charlie, Dame Sarah Storey is concentrating on qualifying for her eighth Paralympics and further establishing the Storey Racing team…

Why did you opt not to make your comeback at the Para-Cycling Track World Championships earlier this month, as planned?

I made the decision to withdraw after the advice regarding the Yellow Fever vaccination changed. I was obviously disappointed to not be able to compete at the event and miss out on the opportunity to win another rainbow jersey, but the health and well-being of my family is far more important.

Ordinarily this wouldn’t have been a problem but unfortunately there are risks around the Yellow Fever vaccination in certain groups including breastfeeding women and babies under the age of nine months.

As Charlie was still only four and a half months and breastfed, this meant neither of us could be vaccinated and therefore I was not prepared to risk travelling as the infection results in a high percentage of fatalities.

The timing couldn’t have been predicted and I would

like to thank all the staff on the Great Britain Cycling Team who have been fully supportive of my decision.

Was it a surprise that you were ready to return so soon?

Yes and no. I was back racing when my daughter Louisa was five months old but that was just a small competition in Newport. We didn’t find out about where the Track Worlds would be until towards the end of my pregnancy and I did think that being in Rio it might be too difficult to travel with such a young baby. However, we were ready to go for it.

What is your schedule/plans for the remainder of 2018?

I go straight into the road season and working my way back into UCI racing. I’m doing some time-trialling first and then some local events. The National Road Champs will be a good marker for my return and then it is Para-Road Worlds in Italy in early August. After that my attentions will turn to TTT and the World Championships in Austria, where our Storey Racing team plan to be on the start-line.

The qualification period for Tokyo has started, so it’s important to hit the ground running?

Starting the qualification period now means there’s plenty

Agilitymagazine | 26

“Retirement from sport is not that easy to reverse and come back at the highest level. I know this after having two babies, so I want to make the most of it now and know I have not left too soon.”

of time to qualify and, as a rider who competes in four events at World Championships across road and track, I have some good opportunities for scoring. The team will be looking to put together their biggest points scoring tally of any Paralympic cycle to ensure we have the choice of who to send to Tokyo.

Are you excited about the prospect of an eighth Paralympics?

Of course! I never expected to be headed to my fifth or sixth, let alone my eighth!

Do you still get the same buzz from competing/winning?

Of course! It’s amazing to be able to test your body in a competition environment and also compete with the pressure off sometimes too. I don’t always pin a number on to try and win a race - I am often working for a teammate or playing a role in my team.

What is your motivation for continuing to compete at the highest level?

I love what I do and while I am physically capable I want to be challenging at the top. Retirement from sport is not that easy to reverse and come back at the highest level. I know this after having two babies, so I want to make the Agilitymagazine | 27

most of it now and know I have not left too soon.

What’s next for the Storey Racing team?

2018 is our first year as a UCI team and we have a threeyear plan to take us through to Tokyo and also including the TTT at the 2019 Yorkshire World Championships.

This year is about racing key events, being UK-centric and giving our riders the platform to develop further.

What are your ultimate aims for the team?

To provide the best environment for riders to develop and reach their potential, be that in selection for GB at World Championships or moving on to a bigger team. If we ever found the budget to create a bigger set-up then we would love to be able to expand on what we are doing, but we are working within our means and focusing on what we can do with the budget available, rather than making empty promises to riders.

How have the Paralympics changed, evolved and grown since you first competed in Barcelona?

The Games are bigger than in 1992 and there are more sports and a higher number of full time athletes. The reach of the Games is also significantly further with many smaller less developed nations being able to field a team.

There’s obviously more coverage and the profile of the athletes is higher. In 1992 I won two golds and a total of six medals but most people outside of para-sport hadn’t heard about me. In 1996 I went to University immediately after winning three golds and being GB’s most successful athlete at the Games, but no one recognised me and I was able to just go there without anyone finding out for several weeks what I had done!

Without embarrassing you too much, how does it feel to have played such an important part in that growth?

I have no idea what sort of role I have played! I’m proud to have been part of a time in para-sport history where the growth of the Games has been significant and where the standard of competition has moved on another level.

Since leaving swimming it has been fascinating to see the swimmers who I would have raced take the events to new highs and that constant evolution of human performance in action.

Which other Paralympians do you particularly admire?

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Lord Chris Holmes are two incredible role models and mentors for me throughout my career, but I also worked alongside Sascha Kindred for six of my seven Games and seeing what he has done in the pool at an age where most swimmers wouldn’t be able to improve is quite remarkable.

I also admire former colleagues like Rachel Morris who reinvented herself as a rower and faces immeasurable challenges with her condition on a daily basis, as well as those in less well-known sports like David Smith in Boccia who has a completely different challenge to other athletes because his sport is rarely televised and making a living from it therefore becomes even harder.w Agilitymagazine | 28

“I’m proud to have been part of a time in para-sport history where the growth of the Games has been significant and where the standard of competition has moved on another level.”

Agilitymagazine | 29

In the News...

New chief exec at GBWBA BRITISH Wheelchair Basketball has confirmed the appointment of Lisa Pearce, the current CEO of the London FA, to its most senior post. She will drive the development of commercial investment into both the participation and elite aspects of the game.

Pearce has a proven track record in the strategic management of sports within National Governing Bodies (NGB) and local government - and will bring to British Wheelchair Basketball over 10

years’ experience at senior level of driving grassroots participation and securing new commercial partnership relationships.

The NGB announced that Pearce will join the organisation in May, succeeding long standing Chief Executive Charlie Bethel.

Pearce said: “I am proud and delighted to have been appointed to lead British Wheelchair Basketball on the next phase of its journey. It is a critical and exciting time for the sport with its prominent public profile and the GB teams delivering success after success.

“The sport is in a great position to explore new commercial relationships and deliver beneficial investment partnerships which will impact from grassroots level to elite.”

Chair of British Wheelchair Basketball, Paul Hudson, added: “Lisa brings a wealth of experience and invaluable insight.”

Para-Badminton nets funding boost THE GB Para-Badminton programme received some outstanding news last month when they were awarded a UK Sport funding investment of £960,000.

The funding will help the squad as they prepare for the sport’s Paralympic debut in Tokyo in 2020.

In an astonishing year in the ParaBadminton arena, English athletes won a staggering 14 medals, including four gold and three silver at the World

Championships in November, positioning GB as strong contenders to compete for medals.

Adrian Christy, Badminton England Chief Executive said: “The investment into the Para-badminton programme is amazing news for the players and coaches specifically who have achieved many outstanding results for several years now and for Para sport more generally.”

Agilitymagazine | 30

Most Inspirational PARALYMPIANS are the most inspirational athletes for children and young people according to new research published by Virgin Media.

It comes as the company announced a goldtier partnership with the British Paralympic Association (BPA), supporting Britain’s Paralympians as they went for gold at the Winter Games and eyeing more success at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

The research found Paralympians are considered to be the most fearless athletes (31 per cent), compared to rugby players (18 per cent) and footballers (4 per cent).

In contrast, the findings show that 60 per cent of UK adults describe themselves as being risk-averse, with 69 per cent saying people are scared of the consequences of taking risks.

On the link-up with the BPA, Tom Mockridge, CEO of Virgin Media, said: “This is a very proud moment for everyone at Virgin Media. We’re supporting our sensational Paralympians whose mindset and attitude – Be Fearless – is inspiring.”

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OR ten glorious days ParalympicsGB’s athletes showed the world they are “a force to be reckoned with in Winter Para sport.”

Chef de Mission, Penny Briscoe, summed it up perfectly after GB landed a magnificent seven medals in PyeongChang – hitting their target in stunning style.

ParalympicsGB also recorded more top-eight finishes across all sports than they did at the previous Games – to the delight of Briscoe and her team.

“We came into this with clear potential on snow and ice, and I’m proud of every one of the 17 athletes in this Paralympics GB team.

“Even away from the medals, there have been some stunning performances and personal bests. We have new sports and new athletes on the team, so we want to continue to evolve as a winter sport nation and to push things forward.”

WINTER PARALY

We look back on PyeongChang - and the most suc Agilitymagazine | 32

YMPICS REVIEW

ccessful Winter Games in ParalympicGB’s history Agilitymagazine | 33

W

HILE Britain’s downhill skiers delivered the medals, Nordic skier Scott Meenagh epitomised the GB spirit – battling through a gruelling six races in eight days and remaining thirsty for more.

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t dare to dream,” he remarked.

“I am seeing what it takes to be at the top of this sport and I am inspired for life now.

S

KIER Menna Fitzpatrick and guide Jen Kehoe were GB’s golden girls – claiming a fabulous four medals in total.

And the secret to their success?

Having fun.

Fitzpatrick explained: “We just went out there and did our own thing. We sang songs and danced. It made me feel a lot better and it seemed to work.

It was also fun for Millie Knight and her guide Brett Wild, who added two silvers and a bronze.

“I literally can’t stop smiling,” said Knight. “This is amazing.

I never really thought we’d be back in this position.”

Agilitymagazine | 34

More from Scott Meenagh here

Millie Knight and Brett Wild video...

Agilitymagazine | 35

M

AKING history were James BarnesMiller, Ben Moore and Owen Pick – the first GB snowboarders to compete at a Paralympics.

Although no medals followed, opening ceremony flagbearer Pick insisted the South Korea experience merely whetted the appetite.

“I haven’t got a choice whether I continue. I can’t leave it,” he said. “I’m one of those people who sets themselves a goal and I haven’t achieved that goal. I’ll be back.”

GB curling skip Aileen Neilson was equally determined to use 2018 as a platform for success.

She said: “We looked to be on that podium at the end of the week and we weren’t - we didn’t win the matches that we set out to win.

“Our story is one of ups and downs. We’ve been in this position before and we’ve bounced back - we’re very resilient so we’ll learn from this and hopefully we’ll come back fighting stronger.”w

Agilitymagazine | 36

Video interview with GB curling team's Hugh Nibloe

Agilitymagazine | 37

Row

From being Rowing to in a Ro j

Agilitymagazine | 38

wles Lauren

g talent spotted by British o a Paralympic gold medal a year-and-a-half – Lauren owles takes us through her journey to Rio and beyond

N

INE members of the British Rowing team headed to Rio for the 2016 Paralympics, bringing home a superb haul of three golds and a bronze from their four events.

Pam Relph, Grace Clough, Daniel Brown, James Fox and Oliver James teamed up to win the LTA mixed coxed four, while Rachel Morris claimed gold in the women’s AS single scull and Tom Aggar added bronze in the men’s equivalent. The remaining gold medal came in the TA mixed double sculls and went to a combination who had met only a year earlier.

Here, one half of that duo, Lauren Rowles, explains how she started rowing and became a Paralympic champion…

“I can remember going to watch the London 2012 Paralympics and seeing a lot of different sports. That really inspired me to get back into sport, which was something I’d done all my life until I developed transverse myelitis aged 13.

“Everyone talks about the legacy from London, and I was definitely affected and inspired by that, so I decided to give athletics a go. I initially wanted to get fit and didn’t really have any expectations. I did imagine how great it would be to go to a Games, but certainly not with Rio in mind. It was primarily about getting back into sport and enjoying sport again.

“I quickly learnt that I was pretty good at athletics and progressed through the ranks, and by the time 2014 came I’d made it on to the England Commonwealth Games team. It was quite a rapid progression from doing nothing to being on an elite sports team.

“After the Games, I had an injury to my hand and wrist so took a step back and opted to explore other avenues. I didn’t want to limit myself to just one sport and I knew that if I stayed in athletics I would have to dedicate everything to it, so wanted to ensure that was the right sport for me.

“I went back to Stoke Mandeville Sports Centre and my sports therapist mentioned that British Rowing were there and interested in seeing if myself and other people had a talent for the sport.

“I was initially a bit apprehensive because I was involved in athletics and I’d never done any rowing, but they put me on an indoor rower and I just pulled!

“They were impressed enough to ask me down to their base in Caversham. I really enjoyed the session and decided to find out a bit more. Five months later I was sat on a World Championships start line, and a year later we were at the Paralympics!

“I knew early on that I had to commit to rowing and make some real sacrifices. But the first time I sat in that boat, the freedom of being on the water convinced me it was the right move.

“When I sat in a boat I knew instantly. Even to this day – hundreds of thousands of strokes later – when I get out

Agilitymagazine | 39

in the boat at 7am I take those first few strokes and it’s just bliss. I love what I do and that’s what drives me on.

“When I first joined the team I didn’t know Laurence Whiteley was going to be a part of it. Then, they introduced me to him and said they only had one boat class to join, the double.

“I met Laurence and we instantly gelled – we got on so well. He had been on the team for around three years without anyone to row with.

He was super patient – you come into the sport and expect to row with someone of the same standard, but he had to wait for me to learn, grow and get stronger, and learn the skill of rowing.

“When we turned up at the start line in the World Championships in 2015 we knew what the goal was – to qualify the boat, and anything after that was amazing.

The silver medal was definitely a surprise for us.

“Going into Rio, though, we were quietly confident.

We knew we were going extremely quickly and we had strong training camps leading into the Games. We weren’t arrogant but we were confident in ourselves and knew that whatever anyone else produced we were in with a good chance.

“We had tunnel vision – we had our own race plan and executed that completely. We used that confidence to motivate each other from boat to boat.

“From the outside looking in, maybe it was a surprise.

But we knew the work that had gone in and it wasn’t a massive shock to us.

“The Games were incredibly special and being an Olympian or Paralympian is something no one can take away from you. Being part of the team and the whole build-up to the Games was such a buzz.

“We are one of the greatest nations in the sporting world so that fills you with confidence. That definitely helped people push their own performances. I’ll always look back on Rio fondly. Especially within the rowing community and our little group of nine rowers, it was all about our journey into the Games and that ‘family’ feeling we had.

“I was injured last season so unfortunately we didn’t get to go to the World Championships, but in rowing we are blessed to have a Worlds every year. We mix in with the Olympic senior rowing team for that, which is great to be on that platform with those guys.

“We are out in Bulgaria in September and super excited to be working towards that. The double will definitely be

Lauren Rowles believes British Rowing’s Talent ID programme and National Lottery funding have been key factors in her success.

Rowles found her love for the sport after being spotted by British Rowing at Stoke Mandeville Sports Centre in early 2015.

“The Talent ID schemes across the UK and the National Lottery funding we now have are why

“Even to this day – hundred thousands of strokes later out in the boat at 7am I tak few strokes and it’s just blis

there and we can’t wait!

“We have to qualify our boat next year in order to go to the Tokyo Paralympics, so this year is when everyone resets, refreshes and starts to create the base layer for that performance.

“With Laurence and I, we’re starting to think about that and we’re now doing 2km instead of 1km, so it’s a completely new challenge for us.

“Tokyo is definitely in our sights but there are little milestones along the way in terms of World Championships and qualifying, which are at the forefront of our minds.”w

we’re getting people like myself and many of GB’s other great Paralympians,” Rowles remarked. “That funding is putting money into the next generation and enabling people to train and achieve their dreams.

“These schemes are successful for a reason – because they find the best of the best, and they identify people who may have never done a sport before but have great potential. The National Lottery

Agilitymagazine | 40

support then enables athletes to put the work in and benefit from the right support to reach that elite level.

“Now we’re in this position, I’m hoping we can help to inspire, not only disabled children, but any youngster to get into sport and dream big. My story of how I got into rowing, progressed and took a massive lifechanging event and made something out of that, can hopefully inspire others to do similar things.”

ds of – when I get ke those first ss.”

Team GB’s rowing team - including Lauren Rowles (front left) and Laurence Whiteley (back left) which excelled at the 2016 Rio Paralympics

Agilitymagazine | 41

U

NDERSTANDABLY, Adam Knott looks back on London 2012 with great fondness.

“From playing in front of crowds consisting of your family and friends to stepping out in front of 7,500 cheering people was quite something,” he said.

“That helped put goalball on a real stage, which was fantastic. The whole Paralympics was just an amazing experience.”

Having discovered goalball via a Paralympics GB talent day in 2010, he was a Paralympian within two years, and is now head coach at the highly successful Winchester Goalball Club.

Explaining his journey, Knott told Agility Magazine: “I’d heard about goalball before and was aware that you had to take all your vision away by wearing the blindfold. I wasn’t completely sure I wanted to do that, but I tried it and loved it, and it spiralled from there. It was a sport where I was on a level playing field, probably for the first time.

“It’s a unique, fast-paced and exciting sport. They’re the three words I would use to describe it. There’s no other sport like it.”

Reflecting on his international career, which ended in December 2016, Knott continued: “There have been a few highlights – the first one was obviously the Paralympics in 2012. You can’t get much better than that.

“Secondly, in October 2016, it was the European B League Championships. We went in as real underdogs but we came second and were promoted to the A League, which took men’s goalball to the highest place it’s been in a very long time. That was a huge achievement.”

He added: “Goalball is still relatively small in this country, but it’s growing and I think it will keep growing.

That won’t just happen by itself, though. It will take a lot of hard work and media coverage to continue that and keep it in the public eye.”

Knott is certainly doing his bit. Having established Winchester GC in early 2013, he is now head coach at a club which boasts 30-35 regular players, aged between 8-50 years old.

With his brother among those players, his mum the treasurer and his fiancée also a volunteer, the club is understandably close to Knott’s heart.

“I absolutely love working there and seeing the players develop,” he said. “We’ve had players there for three or four years now, and some of them have progressed massively.

I love the coaching – of all ages – and I’d love to continue doing that.

“I’ll also continue playing domestically and I just want to continue growing the sport and getting people involved.

It’s done so much for me and I want it to do that for other people.”w Agilitymagazine | 42

Adam

Knot

London 2012 put Goalbal the spotlight – now Adam and Winchester Goalball C helping to drive the sport o

tt

ll in Knott Club are on

Agilitymagazine | 43

Agilitymagazine | 44

Mirfin Ian

Scottish Athletics’ Ian Mirfin talks club Para sections, Sammi Kinghorn and the Commonwealth Games…

I

T’S almost three decades since Ian Mirfin set up Red Star Athletic Club to provide some valuable disability sports coaching in the Glasgow-area.

Plenty has changed in the intervening years – at both grassroots and elite level.

And the same can be said for Mirfin, now Para sport lead for elite athletes in Scotland and coach of double world champion Sammi Kinghorn.

“It’s completely different now,” he remarked.

“For some people it’s become a career whereas in the past only one or two athletes ever managed to achieve that.

“Everyone talks about ‘the London effect’ and it was a line in the sand. The way the Paralympics were received in London in 2012 was phenomenal. Very quickly after that were the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, so another chance to showcase Para talent.

“Then we had London again last summer – the attendances there for the Para World Championships were greater than all the other world championships put together.

“I spend time in other countries, talking to colleagues and other athletes around the world, and they’re all pretty envious of what we’ve got here in the UK in terms of our systems and support.

“The media coverage and exposure is also incredible.

When we started out it was more about bravery, fun and participation. You would see a Para athlete story in the human interest section of the newspaper rather than the sports pages. That’s changed and there are now sports reporters writing about Para athletes, as it should be.”

That progression has been mirrored at grassroots level, with many local clubs across Scotland now providing

coaching for disabled members. In line with that growth, Red Star continues to flourish with dozens of athletes attending with a variety of disabilities.

“We formed our club in 1990 in response to demand,” Mirfin explained. “We had no intention of creating a club but it just happened. That’s not the way it should be. You should be able to rock up to your local athletics club regardless of your ability or anything else, and there should be a place for you.

“There are a number of Para athletes who now train with their local athletics club, which is how we want it to be.

“That broadens the base of the pyramid, and the more people you’ve got at the base the more who will come out at the top.”

Agilitymagazine | 45

“You should be able to rock up to your local athletics club regardless of your ability or anything else, and there should be a place for you.”

Mirfin took up his current position with Scottish Athletics in the run-up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games, with a brief to spot the talent of the future and support athletes on the world-class performance programme.

Four years on from the Glasgow Games, the same event is about to kick-off on the Gold Coast with Mirfin mentoring Scotland’s three Para athletes – Kinghorn, Maria Lyle and Amy Carr.

On their chances down under, he commented; “Amy won a couple of gold medals in the world juniors last year, but it’s an F37/38 long jump and she’s an F37. The 38s jump quite a bit further but it’s a great opportunity for her and will be her first senior vest. Maria will have a real chance of picking up a medal in the 100m.”

The third member of the Scottish triumvirate, wheelchair sprinter Kinghorn (pictured), has become a multiple European and World champion since linking up with Mirfin in 2012.

However, the Gold Coast will provide a very different

challenge for the 22-year-old.

“Sammi’s usually a sprinter and her two events in Australia will be the 1,500m and the marathon,” said Mirfin.

“She’s going in fourth in the rankings for one, and fifth for the other, so a medal would be a great achievement.

“She’s never going to do those events again. She’s quite adamant that the Chicago Marathon was a one-off just to qualify for this and a chance to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games. She’ll then take an extended break before we go back to sprint training for the World Championships in 2019.

“Sammi’s achieved so much already and works very hard for it. She applies herself, is always asking questions, and if something doesn’t work then she will find out how to fix it.

Sammi is always looking at ways of doing things differently and looking at how she can go that bit quicker.

She is getting the rewards for putting all that hard work and effort in.”w

Agilitymagazine | 46

Quality for life

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JACK AGNE Quickfive

Ahead of his senior international debut at the Commonwealth Ireland wheelchair racer Jack Agnew takes on Agility’s ‘Quick

Agilitymagazine | 48

EW

h Games, Northern Five’…

H

OW are you feeling ahead of the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast?

I’m buzzing. This will be my first international competition as a senior, so it’s nerve-wracking but my training has gone really well. I was out there in Perth for a month in January with the GB team. That was a great experience and should stand me in good stead for

this event.

I’m in good shape. The hardest thing is keeping it like that. It’s important to keep the intensity up and ensure I’m maintaining that ahead of the competition.

Just one event to focus on this time around?

Yes, I’m doing the T54 1,500m over there. That’s great because it’s my favourite event and I’ve been able to focus all my training around that one distance.

I competed in multiple events at the European and World Juniors last year, so it was a very different challenge. That experience should really help me at the Commonwealths - I know what to expect now in terms of the pressure of a major competition.

What’s next after the Commonwealth Games?

I’ll get straight back into training as soon as I’m home from the Gold Coast. I’ve got a few races and I’m heading to Switzerland to compete in some of their events as well. Hopefully, I’ll get selected for the European Championships in August, so that would be my second senior international – and my first for GB. It’s up to the selectors to decide which events I go for, but hopefully it will be the 1,500m again because that’s my best one. My ultimate goal is Tokyo 2020, but I don’t like to look too far ahead – I like to take things as they come and focus on the next competition.

How have the Mary Peters Trust supported your career so far?

They’ve been brilliant! I wouldn’t have come as far as I have without them because they have helped me so much financially in travelling to all these various places and even helping me with equipment like my racing chair. It’s a very expensive sport, and a racing chair can cost up to £5,000. It would be a real struggle funding that myself so they have made a huge difference to my career.

Who are your inspirations in the sport?

My role model in wheelchair racing is the Swiss athlete Marcel Hug. He’s the best in the world and is just an unbelievable athlete. I’ve been lucky enough to train with him already.

Another guy who is one of my inspirations is the Australian Kurt Fearnley. He’s going to be competing in the Commonwealths and is another of the world’s best. Hopefully, I’ll be racing him, which will be nervewracking. It’s a strange experience going from looking up to these guys to lining up against them! w

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Project Showcase

Dover District Leisure Centre Pool pods will be among the innovative features for users with disabili “PROVIDING facilities for disabled users has become increasingly embedded into the design process, and today’s architects are fully up to speed with what we need to do.”

That’s according to Dan Brenchley, Construction Manager at BAM Construction, main contractors for the new Dover District Leisure Centre.

Due to open in early 2019, this £26million project will include an eight-lane 25m county standard competition swimming pool with seating for 250 spectators. Alongside that will sit a 15m x 8.5m learner pool with a

movable floor. Elsewhere in the centre will be a multi-purpose sportshall for sports including basketball and netball, two squash courts, a ‘Clip n Climb’ centre for climbing activities, and two outdoor 3G pitches.

Health and fitness ‘stations’, a sauna and steam room, spin studio and café are among the other features – all serviced by a 250-space car park.

Summarising their initial design brief for the landmark development, GT3 Architects remarked: “Dover District Leisure Centre aims for local people to have access to Agilitymagazine | 50

modern leisure facilities to help them to lead healthier lifestyles, realise their sporting ambitions, or simply have fun keeping fit.

“We carried out extensive consultations with Sport England, Dover Access Group and Dover District Council’s PAG group. These consultations were an invaluable way of defining user requirements and allowing us to tailor the design proposals to meet a variety of different needs.

“The building has been designed to be compact, easy to navigate and understand, and to be as welcoming and inclusive as

ities when Dover District’s new £26million leisure centre opens in 2019 possible for all members of society, whatever their level of fitness or ability. The intention of Dover District Council is to create a dynamic and vibrant destination, a facility mix which the operator can fully programme to obtain maximum benefits for the local community.”

Across all aspects of the project, users with disabilities have been considered and consulted.

Among the innovative features incorporated into the design are ‘pool pods’, ensuring the swimming pool is fully accessible for wheelchair users.

“At the outset, Dover District Council set up a consultation process with their user groups,” said Brenchley. “Some of those groups cater for children with special needs or wheelchair accessible clubs. They trialled these pool pods in two centres and we’ve developed that design in collaboration with them to incorporate special chairs. Instead of having a four-point harness, there is a six-point harness to help lift users with less motor functions into the pool.

“Most centres only have one of these pods, but this location will have two. Other centres Agilitymagazine | 51

transport the pods between the pool tanks, but the client here said they wanted that provision for both tanks.

“There is also a fully-hoisted changing places room, which are fairly commonplace in these types of projects now but have only been around for the last couple of years.”

A series of less obvious, but equally important, features have been incorporated throughout the building’s layout to create clear and simple routes and sightlines between key spaces – all to ensure the site is easy for users to navigate.

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Brenchley added: “A lot of work have gone into colour variation of surface finishes to ensure visually impaired people have orientation of space. That’s about variation between the ceilings and the walls, and the walls and the floor. It also includes wayfaring signage without too much text so users can differentiate spaces and appreciate the spatial awareness of rooms.

“Significant thought goes into ensuring wheelchairs users have enough space to go through doorways and are able to turn in a sports wheelchair. That’s an important consideration for people playing wheelchair basketball and similar sports. These independent spaces where people can move their wheelchairs through are key, as well as ensuring everything is accessible.”

Incorporating facilities and features for disabled users into projects of this nature has become the norm in recent years, as Brenchley explained.

“It’s factored in automatically now,” he confirmed. “This was challenging initially because it was new and people without these requirements or needs don’t always understand that small things can make a very big difference.

“Now it’s become increasingly embedded in the design process, and the architects are fully up to speed with what we need to do. Drawing on the existing user groups to tailor the design to their requirements is also far more prevalent.

“The new leisure centre operator is also on board, so we’re getting their feedback on the design and making adjustments in line with that. They have massive experience from running their centres across the country.”

This operator, Places for People, have been awarded a 12-year contract to manage the facility. Their expertise is obvious – the company manages a portfolio of 116 leisure facilities for local authorities. Places for People will also take over the management of the existing Dover Leisure Centre from April, which is currently operated under a lease arrangement with Your Leisure Kent Ltd. Sport England involvement – they have provided £1.5m of funding – also ensures that every aspect of the design needs to be discussed and agreed with the organisation.

“We’ve worked very closely with Sport England, following their guidance,” confirmed Brenchley. “The centre is partfunded by them and we’ve collaborated with their design advisors quite closely on many aspects.

“Sport England have input right from the off, so from the business case element.

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They’re involved with the sports consultancy they’re the people who put the business case together with the client team to ensure the sports mix is right and they have achieved all their stakeholders’ expectations.

“Understandably, you have to play by Sport England’s rules and they effectively provide a list of top targets to hit. When you’ve got your designs on the table they review those and provide feedback.

“There are also conflicting requirements for different sports, so there has to be some educated decisions about how the centre is going to be used and what the priority sports are.”

BAM Construction has linked up with a strong team of businesses for the project – with industry specialists including GT3 Architects, Faithful+Gould and GSE Civil Engineering among the key partners involved.

“The client team have probably been the best

“The new Dover District Leisure Centre is an iconic project and there is a great deal of interest from other districts about how this one goes.”

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team I’ve worked with in the last 10-15 years,” remarked Brenchley. “They’re all very proactive and all very pragmatic about their approach, so it’s been quite refreshing to work with a group of people like that. They’ve all got huge leisure experience as well – the consultant team, architects and project managers.”

He added: “Technically this project is more challenging than some of the schemes we work on. They are big spaces but they’ve all got their individual technical challenges.

They’re all steel-framed and we are bit more of a specialist in that market, so it’s nice getting into the detail. It’s an iconic project and there is a great deal of interest from other districts about how this one goes.”

Strong track record As main contractors for the new Dover District Leisure Centre, BAM Construction

Key partner Faithful+Gould have played a key role in the Dover District Leisure Centre project from the schemes inception. They provided early feasibility cost advice which included facility mix option reviews and a detailed benchmarking analysis which helped to inform the business case and demonstrate affordability of the scheme.

Following approval of the business case, Faithful+Gould were appointed as lead consultant to provide full multidisciplinary services, including design, to deliver the project. They were instrumental in controlling the costs at every stage by proactively balancing the client’s brief, design aspirations and Sport England requirements.

have a proven pedigree in delivering highprofile, large-scale projects.

Outlining their expertise within the leisure sector, and on schemes incorporating facilities for disabled users, Dan Brenchley explained: “We’ve completed a number of leisure projects previously, in locations including Huddersfield, Bridlington and Sheffield. They’re a mixture of facilities and similar sized projects to the new Dover District Leisure Centre.

“We’ve also worked on special educational needs facilities in Kent, recently completing around £60m of work across four schemes.

That involves various levels of disability, including visual and hearing impairments and mobility issues as well. So we’re completely up to speed with the latest education elements.

“Most of these schools have substantial

sports facilities consisting of a similar mix.

There’s usually a sportshall along with a 3G pitch on the outside as a starting point for those projects.

“They’re often similar core projects in that respect, with additional parts to build in. For instance, the Dover Leisure Centre project has a pool – we don’t generally put many pools in schools but we have installed hydrotherapy pools with the various lift and hoisting arrangements that are required.

“Each of these big commercial construction projects are a one-off – you don’t create a similar design again very often. But we’ve always got our design standards we have to achieve – that gives us set guidelines, ensures our people are safe on site and ensures the client benefits from the best possible end result.”w Agilitymagazine | 57

The project was procured on a two-stage design and build basis during which Faithful+Gould worked closely with BAM Construction, sharing cost information and local supply chain intel and market testing key work packages to help inform the design and increase cost certainty.

This collaborative approach resulted in a contract sum offer that was on budget.

Find out more about Faithful+Gould at: www.fgould. com

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