SportsAid

Hollie Arnold

Bethan Latham

Athlete page

Key achievements

•2009 British Open International Champion
•2009 European Junior Championships – J18 Team Silver
•2009 GB J18 Team member
•2009 GB J16 Champion
•Ranked 6th in the GB Open age Premier division at the end of the 2009 season
•2008 Junior European Championships- J18 Team Bronze
•2008 World Championships, J18 -semifinal
•2008 Czech International, J18 - 3rd
•2008 Slovenia International, J18 - 5th

Aims

• Finish in the five in the Premier division in 2010
• Top 10 in the J18 European and World Championships in 2010
• Medalist in the European Junior Championships in 2011
• Top 3 at the 2012 GB Olympics selection race series

Bethan is the current British Open Champion and is ranked 6th in GB at just 16 years of age. She became a European silver medalist at this years U18 European Championships in the women’s team event held in Liptovský Mikuláš in Slovakia.

Now in her second year as a GB athlete she is consistently the youngest team member. In 2008 she became the youngest person ever to represent Great Britain in this demanding sport at international level.

A tough regime has Beth training every night either on the water near her home in Keighley, at the National Water Sports Centre, Nottingham, or in the gym. Her school is supporting her efforts by allowing her to train in Nottingham every Tuesday.

Speaking of her spot on the SportsAid 16 for 2016 list she said: “I am delighted to be nominated as a SportsAid 16 athlete and it is a privilege to represent the next generation of potential Olympians. Although I fully intend to target 2012, 2016 is a more realistic target. SportsAid is my only funding source and is key to being able to compete at European and World level in the lead up to the 2016 Olympics. Selection results permitting, I hope to race in the World Junior Championships in France and the European Junior Finals in Germany in the summer of 2010.”

Bianca Nixon

Athlete page

Sixteen year old Bianca is from Leeds and boxes for the Hunslet Club. She is an extremely committed young boxer who has impressed the national coaches over the last couple of seasons with her dedication and passion for the sport. She has been boxing for the last four years.

On 5th June Bianca boxed in the ABAE National Championships Junior Class 5 category, in 54-56 kg and won the Championships 14-11. 2010 was her second year in the Championships and after an unsuccessful attempt last year, she came home with Gold.

She is now National ABAE Junior Champion at 54-56 kg for 2010, meaning her national ranking is now number one.

It was following her second place result at the Nationals in June last year, when Bianca attended an ABA training camp, that the national coach noticed her considerable commitment and drive.  

Now that Bianca has achieved a short-term goal of winning the National Championships, she is determined to remain consistent over the coming seasons and fulfil her long-term goal of being selected to fight for the senior GB team.

Billy Harding

Athlete page

Caitlin Chang

Athlete page

key achievements
• Current U17 and U20 British number 1
• Current U20 World number 27
• 2009 – U17 National Champion
• 2009 – FIE U20 World Cup, silver medal
• 2009 – Australian Youth Olympic Festival Team gold and individual bronze
• 2009 – Quarter finalist Senior Nationals
• 2008 – U20 National Champion
• 2008 – Quarter finalist Senior Nationals

aims
• Short term – Medal in 2009 European
Championships
• To compete at the Olympic Games

Caitlin has just added the U17 National Championship
title to her previous eight National titles.

She has also won her first Junior (U20) FIE
World Cup podium medal, a silver, losing in the
final to a World U20 top 10 ranked fencer, Emma
Vaggo of Sweden. Caitlin’s current FIE World
ranking is 27 at U20 level which is outstanding
for a 16 year old.

She has also been selected as the youngest
member of the British squad that will travel to
Denmark on 31st October to compete in the
European U20 Championships.

Speaking of her spot on the SportsAid 16 for
2016 list she said: “The past couple of years
have been really exciting for me and the support
of SportsAid has been really helpful. Being
recognised as a 16 for 2016 athlete makes all the
hard work worthwhile.”