Sprinter James Arnott from Plymouth receives £2,000 SportsAid Award from Elton John

Seventeen-year-old sprinter James Arnott from Plymouth received a £2,000 boost to his sporting career on Saturday when Sir Elton John CBE handed him a cheque from SportsAid to help him achieve his Paralympic ambitions.

The donation is one of the first to come from SportsAid's new Elton John Sports Fund after the charity raised more than £300,000 at an acclaimed concert by the artist at Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire on Saturday June 28.

The fund will support some of Britain's brightest prospects from more than 50 sports by providing annual awards of £2,000 to help with essential training and competition costs.

After meeting Elton James said, "It was amazing. Knowing that he is willing to give up his time and support for our future is fantastic. He was so knowledgeable about us and our sports, it was really an honour to meet him.

He added, "To be singled out from all of the other amazing athletes in the country and to be one of the first five to receive these awards was also an honour in itself. It will hugely benefit my future because of the publicity and extra support it will bring.

"Being there really gave me an insight into what it would be to become a top athlete and it has motivated me even more. The funding will go towards my academy fees and will also help me to buy new kit and equipment to help me get by this year."

Elton John said, "It was a special moment to meet James and the other athletes. Their successes are already very impressive, and with a little extra help and recognition who knows what they could go on to achieve. They are the reason we were all at Stoke Park for the concert. Working with SportsAid, we know we are helping the right athletes at the right time."

British sprinting legend Derek Redmond was one of many former SportsAid beneficiaries at the event which also drew support from Steve Redgrave, Katherine Grainger, Keri-Anne Payne, Ade Adepitan, Mark Foster, Gail Emms, Duncan Goodhew, Danny Crates, Anna Watkins, Mark Hunter, Zac Purchase, Richard Hounslow, Sarah Winckless, Shelley Rudman, Heather Stanning, Karen Pickering, Beth Rodford and Steve Williams.

Speaking to guests before the concert Zac Purchase said, "I remember receiving my first SportsAid Award as a young athlete and it is one of those wonderful moments in life when someone turns around to you and says, 'you know what, we think you could be good'. And now you look back at SportsAid's alumni and how many of them go on to achieve great things, and it just goes to show that SportsAid gets it so right when selecting which athletes to support, giving them the confidence boost to go out and perform even better in the future."

Towards the end of a superb performance that included the classics Your Song, Rocket Man and Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me, Elton John said to the crowd of 5,000 fans, "Thanks to your support we will be able to fund young athletes for the next eight years to help make their dreams come true. Thank you!"