Two international class sporting competitors from Hull are being given free access to the city’s public leisure facilities.
Multi-discipline participant Kevin Nicholas and futsal player Kian Skelton will benefit as part of the Talented Athlete Scheme from Hull Culture and Leisure.
The scheme helps gifted Hull sportspeople who are gaining recognition from their national governing bodies to help them towards elite status.
Kevin has represented Great Britain in duathlon and triathlon in the 60-64 age category.
He competed in the 2024 European Triathlon Championships in Vichy in France, and went to Townsville in Australia to feature in the 2024 World Triathlon Duathlon Championships.
He is now looking forward to the 2025 World Standard Distance Duathlon Championships, which take place in Pontevedra in Spain in June.
Kian has played futsal competitively for two years and represents the East Riding Futsal Club, who play in the elite Tier 1 of the National Futsal Series.
He has been involved in the setup of the England Under-19s team, having attended a number of training camps.
Kevin and Kian will now be supported on their sporting journeys, enjoying a range of benefits, including unlimited gym access, free public swimming sessions, and discounted rates for other activities.
They were presented with their year-long memberships by the portfolio holder for culture and leisure, Councillor Rob Pritchard, who said: “We know that people in Hull are proud when one of their own achieves great things in the sporting world.
“The Talented Athlete Scheme helps those who have the potential to claim major honours in their chosen sport, and we look forward to seeing the progress of Kevin and Kian over the next year.
“What they’ve achieved already shows that age doesn’t need to be a barrier to attempting to achieve your goals, and we hope their free memberships can help their continued growth and success in their respective sports.”
To qualify for the scheme the talented athlete must be recognised by their associated national governing body and enrolled onto a talent programme as part of their development.
For more information go to Talented Athlete Scheme – Live It Hull.
