FUNDING potential Olympians and a sports development officer focused on the over-50s will be at the heart of plans anno-unced by the Sports Commission today. A special reception to mark the first three years’ work of the GSC will be hosted this evening by the Bailiff, Geoffrey Rowland, at his chambers.

Ahead of the reception which will also be used to attract additional funding from the business community, GSC chairman John Greenfield said: ‘We have a lot to be proud of’.

‘We have implemented strategies that continue to have a real impact on the development of sport in the island.

‘However, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. There is plenty more to be done,’ he said.

A priority is to increase its presence and role in the local community and with this in mind the governing body for local sport hope soon to appoint a development officer to assist with coordinating a volunteer work force and providing more access to sport for the over-50s.

‘We would like to link it with the health agenda,’ said Graham Chester, the island’s sports development manager.

‘There are certain things out there for them but there isn’t anything coordinated for them,’ he added.

The support for potential Olympians, is not simply a response to the 2012 Games being staged on our doorstep in London, but part of the commission’s plans to provide more financial assistance for the island’s most talented youngsters and those with the potential to compete at the highest level.

‘As the sporting standards grow locally, there will be a select band of individuals who will be identified as potential Olympians,’ said Greenfield.

‘It is essential that these have access to the support needed to take their talent to the next level.’

Just how many fall into that category remains unclear.

Table tennis star Alice Loveridge has been publicly identified by the sport’s UK body as part of their 2012 plans and by then Heather Watson may well be one of the country’s top tennis stars.

Sailing, swimming and athletics are three sports which realistically hope to produce interest in London but, said Chester, no shortlist of potential Olympians exists.

‘There has been a few identified but we are going to be guided by the sports.’