Herts athlete Daniel Gardner

INTERNATIONAL sports stars such as golfer Tom Lewis and sprinter Jodie Williams have both benefitted from the Hertfordshire Talented Athlete Programme (HTAP), now it could be your turn.

Young athletes from the county who represent England or Great Britain or train with an England or GB Development Squad, can now apply to receive top specialist support from the scheme to help them progress in their sport.

Former Under-17 national pole vault champion Daniel Gardner is another who has reaped the rewards of the programme.

The 18-year-old, said: “As a pole vaulter it is vital for me to be both mentally and physically strong.

“The HTAP has helped in both areas – providing specialised conditioning sessions as well as sports psychology, which helped me greatly in the run up to winning the national title.”

The Hertfordshire Talented Athlete Programme has been supporting talented athletes for six years; among its alumni is golf’s 2011 Open Championship silver medallist for best amateur Tom Lewis and sprinter Jodie Williams, who is expected to compete for GB at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Those selected for the Hertfordshire Talented Athlete Programme gain access to a variety of sport specialists, these include:

• Bodybalance Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Clinic, who work with athletes in a range of sports up to and including Olympic level.

• Strength and Conditioning Coaches at Performance Hertfordshire, who train athletes from the English Institute of Sport, England Golf Union, Arsenal Ladies FC and Badminton England.

• Other services which enable HTAP athletes to reach the top in their sport include workshops in nutrition, sport psychology, injury prevention and awareness of drugs in sport.

The wealth of knowledge and experience from these specialists provides the athletes with a great foundation and continuous high quality support during their sporting career.

The HTAP has supported 62 athletes since 2007; 25 of whom have gone on to gain higher levels of support through National Governing Body programmes and University Scholarships.

Applications and criteria are available to download from the website www.hertssportsvillage.co.uk/hertstalentedathletes

The deadline for applications is Friday, June 22.