Our most recent athletic additions to the Great Athletes team are GB Swimmer Caitlin McClatchey, GB Hammer Thrower Chris Bennett, GB Judo Champion Theo Spalding and GB para-athlete Jo Butterfield. We can’t wait to see these inspiring athletes visiting schools, doing fitness circuits, and are eager to help motivate the next generation get enthused about sport.
Having started swimming at the age of 3 and training at the age of 11, Caitlin McClatchey is an example of what hard work from a young age can achieve. It’s hard to believe that when she started she was actually no good at swimming! Having competed as an international swimmer for 10 years, and with three Olympic Games up her sleeve as well as a double gold win for Scotland at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, Caitlin has recently announced her retirement! However, she is still passionate about inspiring the next generation so primary school kids across Scotland should get their swimming costumes at the ready…after a visit from Caitlin, everyone is going to be ready for a splash in the pool!
Scotland’s very own Glaswegian Chris Bennett took up Hammer Throwing in 2005 and has catapulted himself into the top rankings, going from strength to strength with a throw of 74.66m at his most recent competition in Loughborough earlier this year. Having endured many bumps along the way, including the death of his coach last year, Chris is ready to inspire kids to never give up.
Five times British Champion Theo Spalding grew up in East London and took up Judo as a way of keeping out of trouble. He has many achievements tied under his black belt now, as he is also a European Cup Medallist, Commonwealth Champion and 1st place Heart of England Champion! Theo believes that there is so much more to sport than just physical activity and he is ready to inspire the schools of Scotland with his compelling story.
Paralympic Club and Discuss thrower Jo Butterfield had been playing wheelchair rugby since suffering a spinal cord injury in 2011, when she was accepted onto a UK Sport Talent ID programme called ‘Girls4Gold’. Jo embraced the new challenge of transferring to athletics and could never have guessed the change it would bring about in her life! Just after 5 months of getting to grips with her new sport, Jo achieved her first GB selection for the 2014 European Championships and successfully returned home with not only a gold medal but also a new European record! She is now working hard for Rio 2016 and is excited to inspire the Scottish schools with her motto: “If you never quit you have never failed!”
We are really excited to have launched into Scotland with such an incredible line up of athletes. If you would like these inspirational athletes to visit your school, then get in touch quick as events are already getting booked up!
Call the Great Athletes team now on 01223 792200