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JAMES, 17, ONE OF ONLY FOUR UK ‘YOUNG AMBASSADORS’
TO JOIN THE OLYMPICS IN BEIJING
The British Olympic Federation’s Youth Sport Trust has selected James Welford, 17, to go to the Olympics in Beijing as a ‘Young Ambassador’, just one of four young people to be selected from the UK and the only representative from across the north of England.
The Newcastle School Sport Partnership, (NSSP), which delivers high quality sport and physical education to over 30,000 children in Newcastle, selects two young people to be Young Ambassadors for the Partnership. James, a student at Heaton Manor School, came through a rigorous assessment to become one of the pair and has been representing the NSSP since last September.
Swimmer James, was recommended to the Youth Sport Trust by his School Sport Co-ordinator Ted Baty,and the NSSP’s partnership manager Joyce Matthews, who explained: “James had to go to London to be interviewed, only one of seven young people out of 1,000 nominated for just four final places. Final selection was based on his performance as an athlete, his leadership, debating and presentation skills. There was no other young athlete representing the north of England. James was interviewed in Victoria Park, next to the Olympic Village and the filmed footage will be used to promote the official handover from Beijing to the 2012 Paralympics.”
James said it was a tough ordeal, with each athlete taking part in a workshop in Barclays Bank Head Office on CanaryWharf. He said:”We participated in a debate and gave presentations in a group – trying to “sell” our Olympic idea to a Dragons Den styled board. After lunch, each of us was interviewed separately. Waiting back at home in Newcastle for the result was nerve-wracking.”
Yesterday, James had the news he has been waiting for. Alice Constance from the British Olympic Foundation contacted the NSSP’s Joyce Matthews to confirm that James has been successful in his bid to be a Young Ambassador in Beijing. Alice said: “I have great pleasure in confirming that the British Olympic Foundation would like to invite James Welford to attend the Olympic Youth Challenge in Beijing. It will obviously be a fantastic experience for James and the other Young Ambassadors that were selected and I am sure that he will make the most of the opportunity both whilst on the trip and also after he returns.”
James can now untie his body – which he said was in knots waiting to hear – and start planning for this experience of a lifetime.
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