County council leader Nick Rushton has congratulated rower Jonny Walton after he was named in the Great Britain team for the Rio Olympics in August, and will compete in the men’s double sculls event.
The 25-year-old from Kirby Muxloe was backed by Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport’s Go Gold programme, which provides financial support for talented county sportsmen and women who have the potential to compete at a higher level.
Jonny, a graduate from Loughborough University, was introduced to the sport through his family's connections with Leicester Rowing Club and has represented his country at junior and under-23 level before firmly establishing himself in the men’s squad.
I want to wish Jonny every success at the Olympics and let's hope he returns with a gold medal to add to the already sporting achievements of teams and individuals in the city and county. I'm also looking forward to hearing about other Go Gold recipients who are named as team members in other sports.
Person:Nick Rushton, county council leader
The Go Gold programme is funded by the county council, along with the city and Rutland councils and all districts.
This year, a total of 109 athletes from 25 different sports received grants ranging from £100 to £1,000 to support their development. For further information, visit: lrsport.org/gogold