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Athlete Profile: Kieran Hill

Age: 13 Sport: Sailing From: Whitby

‘I enjoy the challenges of being out on the water and the feeling of success when it all goes well.’

Kieran Hill is a dedicated young sailor from Whitby. He is ranked number 5 in the Great Britain 13 age group.

Kieran has always been interested in boats and when there was an advertisement in the local newspaper for a sailing open day he took the opportunity and went along to try it out, and has been hooked ever since. For his 9^th birthday his parents paid for Kieran to do a sailing course and he has since then completed a number of courses to improve his sailing skills.

Kieran trains at Scaling Dam Sailing Club and also at various other venues around the country with the Topper National Squad. He sails every weekend with training through the months of November to June and competitions from April to October. He also undertakes midweek fitness work which usually involves cycling, gym work, karate and swimming. All of these activities increase cardio-vascular fitness levels and also core strength and stability.

Kieran’s greatest achievement to date was being selected for the Team GB Topper National Squad in October 2008.

Major aim: ‘I would like to be in the top three in my age group at the major competitions this year. I aim to be selected for the Topper National Squad again in 2009/10. I would then like to move into the next class of boat which is dependent on my weight and then compete at Youth Level to be selected for the Youth Squads.’

Sporting Hero: ‘Ben Ainslie, as he is the most successful Olympic sailor of all time.’

Biggest supporters: ‘My parents as they take me all over the country to compete and train.’

Athlete Profiles
22 September 2009 comment TrackBack-URI

Athlete Profile: Matt Clare

Matt Clare

Age: 12

Town: Ripon

Sport: Badminton

How did you get involved with your sport? How old were you?

My Dad played badminton to county standard and started me off hitting shuttles in our garden, before taking me to play on some indoor courts. I was about seven years old.

Where do you train?

Currently at Leeds Met University, and Woodkirk school in Leeds, a total of three nights each week. I also belong to Harrogate Racquets Club, so play there, and at Ripon Leisure Centre, when I have weekends free. I do fitness/strength & stability training at home at least two sessions each week.

Describe a typical week in your sporting life (how many times you train, how long you train for etc.)

Typically I do three on court sessions of 2 hours each, plus competitive play (tournaments or matches) at weekends. Home training sessions (strength and stability) take me about half an hour each one.

What is your greatest sporting achievement so far?

Easy – representing England in an international tournament earlier this year, and winning a silver medal in the process.

When is your next big competition? What are you doing to prepare for this?

My tournament season has just finished, but will start again in September 09. The big tournaments this year will be on the national circuit, where I will face all the best players from the UK. The climax of the season will be the Under 13 nationals. The competition gets tougher each year, so all I can do is train hard, listen to my coaches, and try to put things into practice. I can’t control what others players do, but as long as I play to my best ability, I’ll be happy.

What are your sporting goals and dreams?

It was to represent England, but now I’ve done that, I’m setting my sights on an Olympic medal.

Who is your sporting hero and why?

In Badminton it’s Anthony Clark (England). My coaches tell me he worked really hard to get what he has achieved in the sport, and I think he plays some of the best disguised drop shots I have seen.

In other sports I’m a bit of a Rob Burrow fan (Leeds Rhinos).