With Team England delivering a host of medals at 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, the team has unveiled it’s in village high-performance centre known and the Lions’ Den. The Lions’ Den has been made possible thanks to a £150,000 Sport England grant, ensuring that Team England athletes will be the best prepared they can be ahead of the start of the Games.
The Lions’ Den contains a full range of clinical, conditioning, rehabilitation and preparation services and is based on the doorstep of the Team England block within the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games village. Within the accommodation block, itself are flats converted into physio and medical areas allowing easy access to any treatment required. Across the road are a stretching area with static bikes, balance boards and a recovery space.
Once the Gold Coast Games are over the equipment used in the centre will be shipped back to England where the English Institute of Sport will ensure that England’s athletes will continue to benefit from the investment.
Sport England’s Property Director, Charles Johnston, said: “We are delighted to have been able to fund the £150,000 Lions’ Den in addition to our investment of £4million of National Lottery funds into the biggest, most inclusive and diverse sports team to represent England overseas.
“It’s great to know that after helping the athletes, coaches and volunteers of Team England turn talent into sporting success on the Gold Coast, this equipment will then be used to support elite athletes and young people on talent programmes for future Olympic and Commonwealth Games.”
Team England Chef de Mission Sarah Winckless said “One of our key aims from these Games is to deliver the best prepared English team ever to the field of play and I think our results are starting to show that. Thanks to Sport England we can support our athletes’ training and medical needs in a space unrivalled by the rest of the Commonwealth. Delivering a facility to such a high standard on the other side of the world has been no easy task and without the expertise Sport England have provided for us none of this would have been possible.
“It is also great to know that the EIS will benefit from the equipment after the Games so we can continue to help Team England athletes ahead of Tokyo 2020 and even Birmingham 2022.”
