Poole rower Lexi Gill selected for Youth Olympics in Dakar

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 13 Oct, 06:03 · Archive

Seventeen-year-old Lexi Gill from Poole has been selected to represent Great Britain at the Youth Olympics in Dakar, which will run from 31 October to 3 November. She will also compete in the 2026 World Beach Sprint Finals in China.

Gill received a £1,000 grant from Dorset Community Foundation's Lord-Lieutenant's Fund for Young and Talented to help pay for her own rowing blades and travel and accommodation costs. The funding enabled her to train with proper equipment and attend key competitions that led to her selection for the GB team.

Gill only began rowing one year before being invited to try beach sprint, a fast-growing discipline that involves sprinting to a boat, slaloming around buoys, and sprinting across the sand to the finish line. Her rapid progress saw her join the Beach Sprints Development Academy and undertake trials for the Team GB Development Pathway. Strong performances at the Welsh Championships included second place in the women's singles time trial and fourth overall in the under-19 event.

Gill said the grant allowed her to access the training and competition opportunities that proved pivotal to her GB selection. 'Competing in Dakar at the Youth Olympics and in China at Worlds is something I've dreamed of ever since I started beach sprints, so it's an amazing feeling to see all the hard work paying off,' she said.

How it is being reported

• Poole rower called up to Youth Olympics after being aided by charity grantPoole rower Lexi Gill has been selected for the Dakar Youth Olympics after being aided by a Lord-Lieutenant’s Fund for Young and Talented grant from DCF.Bournemouth Echo · 13 Oct, 05:00
• Poole rower on course for Youth OlympicsA grant from Dorset Community Foundation’s Lord-Lieutenant’s Fund for the Young and Talented will help Lexi Gill achieve her ambitions. The post Poole rower on course for Youth Olympics appeared first on Dorset View .Dorset View · 12 Oct, 15:00

In this story: Lexi Gill · Poole · Great Britain · Dakar · Dorset Community Foundation · China · Senegal

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