LONDON 2012: One year to go but focus already turning to Rio 2016

By Sportsbeat staff

 LONDON 2012 might be exactly 12 months away but leading charity Sports Aid are already looking ahead to Rio and beyond.

EXAMPLE: Local Heroes, a scheme backed by London 2012 partner Lloyds TSB, is among many Sports Aid schemes (Nathan Gallagher)

Since 1976 the charity has enabled thousands of young athletes to achieve their sporting ambitions, distributing more than £30 million in the process.

At the Beijing Olympics, 18 of the 19 British gold medallists had been beneficiaries of Sports Aid funding, with London 2012 chairman Seb Coe among their early success stories.

“While today’s focus is naturally on 2012, we are already asking what July 2013 will look like,” said Sports Aid chief executive Tim Lawler. 

“This is the ninth Olympic cycle Sports Aid has worked through and it is by far the most important. 

“It would be great if we could repeat the success of Beijing next year but for us, a good result from 2012 would be a greater willingness to help the next generation. 

“It is a unique opportunity for us to help more young sportsmen and women in Britain and raise awareness about the fact that our investment in them has to start long before they make a name for themselves.

"That would be a genuine living-legacy, helping to build a stronger future for British sport, and particularly our young sportsmen and women who hold such great promise. If that were to happen we’d be in great shape beyond London."

© Sportsbeat 2011