Sport England

Securing 2012 legacy - and more medals

As the dust settles on Team GB's fantastic performance at the Beijing Olympics, Sport England is focused on how we move forward towards London 2012 and build the foundations of sporting success by:

Increasing the number of people who play sport Improving the quality of their experience Helping talented people to fulfil their potential. Sport England has a specific target to get one million people doing more sport by 2012, which will help us to build the talent pool and nurture more Olympians.

The sports that did best in Beijing - cycling, sailing, rowing, swimming - have important features in common which are relevant to community sport:

Great community programmes, aided by Sport England, including major initiatives to boost participation Excellent club, coaching & volunteer networks, aided by Sport England Well honed talent pathways, developed with the help of Sport England Focused, high quality governing bodies, funded by Sport England.

Cycling's staggering medal success, for example, was built alongside programmes we funded to increase participation:

The Everyday Cycling programme has boosted participation in cycling events by 56% since 2006 Last year 50,000 children received coaching through the Go-Ride development programme which focuses on young riders and clubs and improving links between schools and clubs 20-year-old Jason Kenny, who won Olympic gold in the men's team sprint as well as a silver in the individual sprint, came through the Go-Ride programme So did 25-year-old Steven Burke who won bronze in the men's individual pursuit in Beijing.

British Cycling's Chief Executive, Peter King, said:

"Our Olympic successes have been built in tandem with programmes, supported by Sport England, to increase participation in our great sport.

"Our philosophy is simple. The more people that get on a bike, the more talented individuals we will be able to unearth and nurture on the road to success.

"We have proved in Beijing the incredible results we can achieve with those athletes who've got the talent, dedication and determination to compete at the highest level."

Sport England's Chief Executive, Jennie Price, said:

"The athletes who have contributed to Britain's best Olympic performance for a hundred years have inspired the whole nation.

"Our responsibility now is to build on their achievements by working with the sports to create a world leading network of clubs, coaches and volunteers.

"We need to provide better sporting opportunities in every community so that everyone can fulfil their potential and each sport can unearth the Olympic champions of the future. This will ensure that the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games delivers a sustained increase in participation."