TEAM GB SELECTED FOR TAIWAN WORLD GAMES
Date: 24 November 2008
Britain's best tchoukballers have been selected to represent their country in the 2009 World Games in Taiwan.
The athletes have been picked from tchoukball clubs around the country – including relatively new Leeds Met and Bournemouth universities.
Team GB has already started training for the high-profile Games in July 2009 which are held every four years under the name of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The two squads (men and women) will face tough competition from Taiwan, Singapore, Switzerland, Canada and Brazil. Qualification for the World Games was won via the three FITB 2008 Continental Championships held in Argentina, Czech Republic and Hong Kong.
The Team GB squads are:
Men
Martin Cates
Robert Starkings
Jack Buck
Andrew St Ledger
Richard Gosling
Jamie Wright
John Tubby
Stuart Blakemore
Todd Fielder
James Clarke
Women
Kate Eastwood
Jenny Clow
Jo Hooper
Jo Casey
Janine Lesiak
Emma Grovesnor
Louisa Fountain
Symone Bromley
Rosie Aspinall
Charlotte Vanner
The squads will this year welcome three players to top level international competition for the first time including Todd Fielder, Symone Bromley and Rosie Aspinall.
Cliff Jenner, men’s coach, said:
“Competing in the IOC World Games is one of the biggest things to happen to tchoukball in the last two decades and Team GB is going to make it a memorable tournament to watch.
“Both squads are strong, motivated and focused on winning against tough competition."
Tchoukball may be an unusual and little-known sport in this country, but it is one that Great Britain excels at. Great British is currently ranked third in the world making the prospects of success in Taiwan high.
As tchoukball receives no external funding, all events are self-financed by players. Squad members will therefore be seeking sponsorship to help cover the costs of the World Games. Businesses interested in supporting sporting champions should contact the Tchoukball Association of Great Britain by telephoning 07092 018251.
Click here to see the squads.
For more information about the 2009 World Games, visit: http://www.worldgames2009.tw/wg2009/eng/index.php The 2009 World Games will run from 16 – 26 July 2009 in the city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. |