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Derbyshire sends good luck message to county's Olympic and Paralympic stars

23 July 2008

Swimmers Ross Davenport and Dean Milwain, and badminton player Donna Kellogg, have confirmed their places in the GB team for the Olympics next month.

Also competing for Great Britain, at the Paralympics in September, will be swimmer David Ellis, wheelchair tennis player Alex Jewitt, wheelchair basketball competitor John Hall, cyclist Anthony Kappes and footballer Leon Taylor.

All will be hoping to perform at their very best, and to show them that they have the backing of the county behind them, Ross, Dean, Donna, David, Alex, John and Leon are to receive £150 each to help, in a small way, towards making the trip of a lifetime even more memorable.

The money has been donated by Derbyshire County Cricket Club, a personal donation from their Chairman Don Amott and Derbyshire Sport.

Swimmers Ross Davenport, Dean Milwain and David Ellis, and footballer Leon Taylor received the cash during a presentation in the Kim Barnett Suite at Derbyshire County Cricket Club’s ground on Tuesday, July 22.

David Joy, Director of Derbyshire Sport, said: “All of these athletes have worked so hard to make the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing. They will be an inspiration for the next generation of talented performers in Derbyshire and I am delighted that, with the support of the County Cricket Club and Don Amott their Chair, we have been able to make this small gesture of support and create this occasion to publicly congratulate them and wish them well in Beijing.”

Derbyshire County Cricket Club Chairman Don Amott said: “It is terrific that athletes from Derbyshire have earned the opportunity to compete on the biggest possible stage and this donation is the Cricket Club’s way of telling them that we are rooting for them to do well.

“I hope that this donation can help in some small way towards making the Olympic experience as memorable as possible for these athletes.”

Keith Loring, Head of Commercial at Derbyshire County Cricket Club, added: “As a club we were involved in the concept of the Derbyshire Talented Athlete Fund and we have supported it by donating £2 from every replica shirt sold in 2008.

“Following on from that, this donation continues to demonstrate the fact that Derbyshire County Cricket Club is right behind talented athletes from this county.”

Ross Davenport, from Belper, is due to swim in the 200m Freestyle, 4x100m Freestyle Relay and 4x200m Freestyle Relay, while Derby’s Dean Milwain will compete in the 400m Freestyle.

Derby badminton player Donna Kellogg will compete in the Doubles and Mixed Doubles.

Meanwhile at the Paralympics, Alex Jewitt, from Dronfield, is part of the eight-strong GB wheelchair tennis team, and Derby’s John Hall is part of the wheelchair basketball team.

Anthony Kappes, from Chapel-en-le-Frith, is part of the ten-strong GB cycling team, and swimmer David Ellis, from Heanor, booked his place in Beijing with a British record swim in the 200m individual medley.

Footballer Leon Taylor, from Chaddesden, will be a goalkeeper in the seven-a-side Cerebral Palsy football squad.

Pictured above, from left, is Peter Richardson, Chair of the Derbyshire Management Group for the 2012 Games, Leon Taylor, Ross Davenport, Derbyshire Cricket Club Chairman Don Amott, David Ellis and Dean Milwain.