Hogan Lovells announces ten GB Para-athletes awarded 2018-19 bursary

In the run-up to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Hogan Lovells today announces the recipients of its second annual GB Para-Athlete Bursary to support aspiring Paralympians.

Ten athletes with aspirations for Tokyo 2020 have been awarded one-off bursaries of up to £1,500 each to help them with an aspect of their career development. This might include purchasing and replacing vital equipment, paying for travel to training camps and competitions, additional coaching, and training support services.

Selected from over fifty entrants, this year’s lucky recipients are targeting next year’s Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. They are:

• Jonathan Broom-Edwards - Para Athletics (High Jump)
• Richard Chiassaro - Para Athletics (Wheelchair Racing)
• Helen Freeman - Wheelchair Basketball
• Callum Hall - Para Athletics (Wheelchair Racing)
• Jade Jones-Hall - ParaTriathlon
• Thomas Matthews - Para Table Tennis
• Tania Nadarajah - Para Archery
• Lucy Shuker - Wheelchair Tennis
• David Smith MBE - Boccia
• Jamie Stead - Wheelchair Rugby

Jade Jones-Hall said the funding would prove invaluable:

“I’m so honoured and excited to have been chosen for the Hogan Lovells bursary, it’s going to make a huge impact on my training in this critical year for qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.”

This follows a successful inaugural year in which seven athletes were awarded bursaries in 2017. They included James Barnes-Miller, who was selected as part of the first-ever ParalympicsGB snowboard team for PyeongChang 2018; women’s visually impaired alpine skier Kelly Gallagher MBE, a triple medallist at the recent Para Alpine World Championships; and Tokyo 2020 hopefuls: Rich Amos (Boccia), Ayaz Bhuta (wheelchair rugby), Jodie Grinham (para archery) and Leif Thobroe (para taekwondo).

Ayaz commented on the difference financial support from Hogan Lovells makes, noting:

“I was very privileged to receive the Hogan Lovells para-athlete bursary last year which helped me cover my travel to training/competitions and equipment for the year. The support was integral to me on my journey to the World Championships last year and I am very happy to hear that Hogan Lovells are offering support to athletes again this year.”

Hogan Lovells is Official Legal Services Provider to the British Paralympic Association (BPA) through to Tokyo 2020 – a long-standing relationship between the two organisations has existed since before Beijing 2008. Throughout this period, Hogan Lovells has provided the BPA with legal advice, secondments (including in-Games legal support) and volunteers across a number of areas, supporting the ParalympicsGB team to achieve historic performances at London 2012, Sochi 2014, Rio 2016, and PyeongChang 2018.

Mike Sharrock, Chief Executive of the BPA, said:

“I’m delighted that Hogan Lovells are continuing their Para athlete bursary to support athletes in their ambitions to represent ParalympicsGB at Tokyo 2020.

We’re extremely proud of our longstanding relationship with Hogan Lovells and of how they continue to demonstrate their commitment to the Paralympic family in the UK.”

Hogan Lovells partner and BPA supporter Nicholas Cheffings, said:

“Watching some of our amazingly talented bursary recipients perform in PyeongChang was a very rewarding experience, knowing that our support contributed to them being able to compete on this global stage which is the pinnacle of Para sport. We are incredibly proud and privileged to be able to help these and other inspiring athletes to reach their potential and we are looking forward to seeing the progress of both our inaugural and new cohorts as they progress towards Tokyo 2020.”

In addition to supporting the bursary recipients, the firm continues to support the Hogan Lovells ambassador and Paralympic, world, European and Commonwealth Champion swimmer Ollie Hynd MBE, as well as providing pro bono legal advice to clients including British ParaSnowSport, Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby, the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation, UK Boccia Federation and the International Boccia Federation.