Press release -
Millie Knight to carry the flag at Paralympics' opening ceremony
SportsAid athlete Millie Knight (see photo) has been given the honour of carrying the flag for Great Britain at today's opening ceremony of the Sochi Paralympics.
She was supported by SportsAid in 2013 and is the new face of the charity's I WILL fundraising campaign. After receiving her SportsAid Award last year she said, “My SportsAid Award has helped me to find a guide to train with me, travel with me and ultimately race with me. Before that my mum was my guide to keep the expenses down and it has been great to have someone a little faster!”
Millie's new guide is Rachael Ferrier alongside whom she will be competing in the B2 slalom event in Sochi.
Age 15, Millie is the youngest member of the British team and the youngest winter Paralympian in the history of British sport.
"Millie is a very talented athlete and an exciting prospect for the future," said ParalympicsGB chef de mission Penny Briscoe.
"She is the perfect representative for the team on this occasion."
Topics
- Winter sports
Categories
- millie knight
- sportsaid
- sochi 2014
- paralympics
- winter paralympics
- disability skiing
- winter sport
- next generation
- i will campaign
- i will be next
Interviews and information on SportsAid
Call Breege Zachary or Simon Worsfold at SportsAid on 020 7273 1978 or email breege@sportsaid.org.uk or simon@sportsaid.org.uk.
Background on SportsAid
- SportsAid is a national charity (#1111612) established in 1976 that helps young British
sportsmen and women who aspire to be our next Olympic, Paralympic or world
champions. Its patron is Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge.
At London 2012 almost two-thirds of the British team were former recipients of
SportsAid’s support, winning 20 of Team GB’s 29 gold medals and 27 of
ParalympicsGB’s 34 gold medals. - The athletes supported by SportsAid are typically aged 12 to 18 and are among
Britain’s brightest hopes for the future. - SportsAid Awards are funded by the charity’s donors and supporters to recognise young
athletes’ achievements and help them meet the high costs of training and
competing – which they otherwise have to pay for themselves. - Working with the governing bodies of around 70 sporting disciplines to identify those
with the greatest potential, SportsAid ensures the right people get the right
help at the right time. - As well as providing SportsAid Awards to help young athletes meet the cost of
sport, SportsAid also manages the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS).
TASS supports athletes in higher or further education by providing TASS Awards
which help them pursue sport and eduction at the same time.
For more information visit www.sportsaid.org.uk, follow @TeamSportsAid onTwitter, contact the charity on Facebook, or sign up to receive its monthly newsletter