A RECORD-BREAKING Olympic runner has launched a scheme to support upcoming female athletes.
Eilish McColgan has set up her non-profit Giving Back To Track alongside her partner, Michael Rimmer.
The charity hopes to help women and girls between the ages of 16 and 22 to fulfil their athletic potential, offering bursaries, sports clothing, and career advice from McColgan and Rimmer.
McColgan said: “I realised how incredibly lucky I’ve been to have support and sponsorship and now that I’m a little more comfortable I wanted to give something back.
“I know how hard it is to get started in this career, so we thought we’d put a call out to ask other female athletes in Scotland if we could help – they don’t need to be runners, they can be from any disciplines within running or track and field.”
Conceptualised just six weeks ago, the charity has already awarded six £1000 bursaries to female track and field athletes.
Currently, the charity will focus on supporting young women and girls involved with McColgan’s local running club, Dundee Hawkhill Harriers.
However, McColgan and Rimmer hope to expand the charity to encompass men as well as women and cover not just Scotland but the rest of the UK as well as Ireland.
McColgan added: “No child should be priced out of a sport.
“There are so many costs involved; the cost of track facilities, buying training kits, transportation and paying for club fees, and this is where we are able to help”.
Last month, McColgan achieved the British and European record for the 10km road race, clocking in at 30 minutes and 19 seconds and breaking the 19-year-long hold Paula Radcliffe had on the race.
McColgan broke the Scottish record for the 10,000m race earlier this month which her mother, Olympic silver medalist Liz McColgan, had previously held.
McColgan herself competed in the 2012 and the 2016 Olympics, taking part in the women’s 3000m steeplechase and the women’s 5000m respectively.
Find out more about Giving Back To Track and their work at their website: www.givingbacktotrack.org
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