GB Team

Representing Great Britain is a proud moment in any athletes’ career. It says to the world that this athlete has reached the top of their sport; is ready to face the challenge of other equally talented competitors overseas, and that they have the ability to win!

But the honour of representing Great Britain doesn’t come easy. All athletes in Team GB will have competed at local and regional level for some time, they will have been training regularly and will have had to prove time and time again that they have what it takes to succeed. They will have experienced the disappointment of not winning, but will have show their true sportsman like qualities by picking themselves up, listening to the advice of their coaches and moving to the next competition.

It doesn’t get any easier when you reach Team GB! SportExcel UK expects any athlete who wants a place on the GB Team to train harder than they ever have done before; to attend their Home Country Associations training sessions; to be completely focussed on their sport; to show us time and time again they are the strongest in their event; to show us they will be great ambassadors for Great Britain; to know that if they are selected they must put their job on the GB Team first and above all to show us they have the ability to win!

SportExcel UK select athletes from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales who all come together to form Team GB. SportExcel UK also supports and facilitates selection through those Sports Governing Bodies with programmes for athletes with learning disability in accessing Virtus competition also. SportExcel UK is the only portal through which athletes can compete as Great Britain at Virtus Championships.

Once invited to join a GB Team SportExcel UK works with the athlete, advocates and coaches to ensure we can identify what an athlete’s support needs are and how this can be managed within the Team environment.  This enables us to support the person to perform to the very best of their ability, to cope with the high demands of performance sport and to enjoy their experience as part of an international competitive GB Team.

Our athletes are at the heart of what we do and we are here to support the athletes’ success.

If you would like to read about the successes of previous GB athletes, then explore the News & Media and Athlete Profiles section of this site.

If you are interested in finding out more about how Team GB is selected, more information on a particular athlete or how you can support Team GB either financially or through your professional expertise, then contact us at the UK Sports Association for People with Learning Disability.