Track stars receive 2012 Olympics boost

Local track and field athletes recieved a huge boost on Monday in their preparations for London 2012 when British athletics escaped a major cut in funding for the Olympics despite falling short of its five-medal target in Beijing.

UK Sport, the distributor of National Lottery funds, provided the leading Olympic sports with their funding figures for the next four years, and UK Athletics indicated that it was happy with the outcome.

The news will delight Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow's 400m star Nicola Sanders as well as fellow Thames Valley Athletics Centre-based sprinters Marlon Devonish, Mark Lewis-Francis, Lesley Owusu, Laura Turner and Burnham's 400m runner Tim Benjamin.

In the four years leading up to Beijing, athletics received £26.513m yet only managed a return of four medals, with Christine Ohuruogu winning the only gold in the 400m.

Sports which over-performed in Beijing were predictably rewarded in the new budget.

Cycling, which provided eight gold medals, received £22.151m in the build-up to Beijing but are believed to have been given a significant increase this time around.

Swimming, which saw Rebecca Adlington claim two golds, entered the Games after a four-year investment of more than £20.6m. In the run-up to London, the sport is understood to be receiving an increase of nine per cent, around £1.86m.

Diving, which received £5.8m for Beijing, is expected to have a five per cent increase, while sailing is due to be given a five to six per cent increase from the previous budget of £22.2m.

UK Sport distributed over £235m to Olympic sports in the four-year lead-up to Beijing. The body will officially announce exactly how much each sport will be receiving at the beginning of December.