The Newham Sports Academy with Tessa Sanderson (NSA) was launched in October 2006.  It is a unique sports programme which I have shaped with Newham Council, who are the main funder of the NSA. The rest of the funding I simply have to dig deep to find from sponsors, using persuasiveness and a smile.

The concept came from me thinking about what I, as someone from a working-class background, needed to help me succeed as a young athlete. I wanted to make it a little bit easier for those wanting to emulate me in winning my gold medal in 1984. 

It is amazing that we now have over 70 members drawn for a range of sports.

The NSA works under a talent identification process in schools, colleges, community centres, and then train the members we identify.

Athletics coaches include Lloyd Cowan, the UK Athletics sprint hurdles and 400 metres; Clarence Callender former UK Athletics junior team coach; Ayo Falola, who coaches 800m, Greg Richards, Britain's former multi event coach, and Tony Jarrett, the 1993 world 110m hurdles silver medallist.

We also have coaches from boxing, GB Paralympic wheelchair track and field events, as well as Michelle Weltman, who coaches triathlon and is a Disability Swim coach, and another former Olympian Linda Strachan coaches our fencers.

The Academy could not function without these special coaches, or without the range of community coaches and clubs that underpin the work the Academy does.

I took a leading role in appointing the coaches, and I was determined to use people that had competed on the international stage, and had the experience and coaching qualifications. It is also vital that the coaches are able to communicate effectively, as it is really important that they help with life skills of the young members, as well as their technical training.

As well as coaching the NSA provides bursaries for the youngsters to travel to and from competition, training at local grounds free, working with physios, nutrition and bio-mechanics and whenever possible making sure they have the equipment for competition. 



Members have increased to a higher level in the sport and have shown tremendous changes in their ability and performance in competitions. 

For example:

• Four of the NSA fencers went on to be selected for GB young cadets, and two of the four went on to compete in the European and World Championships for their age group

• Boxer Dudley O'Shaunessy has recently competed for England against USA at York Hall

• Vicky Ohuruogu has qualified for the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Singapore with a time of 54.17sec,  knocking a full five seconds of her best result last year 2009 of 59.3 and this only being her second year at the events. Vicky is the younger sister of Christine, the Beijing Olympic champion, and I am hopeful that for the first time we could see sisters running in the same event for Team GB at the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympics        

Vicky is coached by Lloyd Cowan, who, in my personal opinion is the best coach Britain has, which is reflected in his coaching of Andy Turner, the gold medallist at the recent European Championships in Barcelona.

Tessa Sanderson is the 1984 Olympic javelin champion. She competed in a record six Olympic Games. The Newham Sports Academy is the first scheme of its kind to offer full support to non-elite athletes in a range of Olympic sports. It gives local young people, in one of the poorest areas in England, the opportunity to take their sporting talent to another level and a chance to compete in the London 2012 Olympic Games