Women’s Sports Trust can boost participation numbers, says Anna Watkins

SkySports reports:

Olympic gold medal winner Anna Watkins has backed the Women’s Sports Trust to capitalise on the success of London 2012 and boost female sport in the UK.

The Trust, launched this week, has the aim of raising participation levels, increasing spectatorship and doubling the media coverage of women’s sport through distribution of grants to individuals and groups.

“After the Olympics we had this sense of excitement and momentum in women’s sport. It would be a terrible shame if we lost that, so I’m thrilled this organisation is starting up to keep it going.”

Watkins, who won the double sculls with Katherine Grainger at last summer’s Olympics, is patron of the Trust and is a firm believer the excitement and interest in women’s sport seen last summer demonstrates that, with the right approach, real progress can be made in this area.

“After the Olympics we had this sense of excitement and momentum in women’s sport. I wanted to capitalise on that and keep it going so when I was asked to become involved I thought ‘this is what I’ve been waiting for’,” Watkins told Sky Sports.

“It would be a terrible shame if we lost this momentum, so I’m thrilled this organisation is starting up to keep it going.”

The Trust has been backed by a diverse range of elite female athletes and Watkins hopes their support will give the organisation the traction and attention it needs to make a difference.

“I really want to do something for the up and coming athletes and I realise the power a good role model can do,” she said.

“The Trust will give grants to up and coming athletes and people participating at sport at various levels – that’s not something that’s been done before specifically for women.

“It also works with businesses and connects people who have a common belief women’s sport can be a force for good in this country.

“The Olympics showed us that it isn’t that people aren’t interested in women’s sport or don’t want to sponsor women’s sport, it just isn’t always out there and people don’t know who is who.

“We need to get that message out there and the rest will follow.”

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