British Athletics today announced a team of ten ahead of the IAU World 24-Hour Championships in Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 1-2.

Heading up the quintet of senior men are Robbie Britton - a World and European bronze medallist from 2015’s combined championships in Turin - Pat Robbins and Dan Lawson, with Robbins’ lifetime best haul of 256.801km securing him a highly commendable seventh place finish back in 2015, while Lawson earns his second British vest having claimed 25^th back at 2015’s championships.

Marco Consani and James Stewart complete the men’s team due to complete in Northern Ireland’s capital in under three months’ time.

Of the women, 2016 IAU World Trial team bronze medallist Beth Pascall will contest her first 24 hour championships in a British vest following one previous attempt which brought victory at 2015’s Self-Transcendence race in Tooting, thanks to a run of just over 230km.

Company to Pascall comes from experienced 24-hour runner Sharon Law, with the championships serving as her fifth attempt at the competition, while Ali Young (Bryan Smith) steps up to contest against the world’s best ultra-runners following an 18^th place finisher at last year’s IAU 24-Hour European Championships.

After finishing as the top Briton back in 2015 for 12^th out of the 123 females in Turin, Debbie Martin-Consani will hope to show strongly once again, with Jess Baker also looking to go well at the home championships in Belfast’s Victoria Park.

The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) have opened sign-ups for Tennis for Kids 2017 – the second year of its biggest ever grass roots initiative, in partnership with Highland Spring.

After a hugely successful first year, the initiative will be bigger and better in 2017 with 20,000 free courses and rackets available to children aged five to eight years old all over the United Kingdom.

The ‘Tennis for Kids’ initiative in 2016 aimed to inspire 10,000 children aged 5-8 to pick up a racket and play tennis for the first time. It was so successful that the 10,000 places were filled within a week, prompting the LTA to release a further 5,000 places. The fun, six week course also resulted in almost half of those who took part continuing to play after completing the lessons.

The course is aimed at children who have never played before, so focuses on fun and getting kids active, combining basic hand eye co-ordination with rudimentary tennis skills. Beyond the practical side of the sport, the sessions will be teaching children how to work with a partner, become a valuable member of a team and through our partnership with Highland Spring, establish healthy hydration habits – all in a fun and relaxed environment. Parents are also encouraged to join for the final session when 20,000 children will be gifted their first racket.

Tennis for Kids was launched after the historic victory of the Davis Cup team in 2015 to establish greater accessibility into tennis, with a view to creating a new generation of tennis loving children. The free six-week course is led by 1,000 specially trained coaches, who have been trained at sixteen sessions all over the UK by Davis Cup captain Leon Smith, former British number one’s Greg Rusedski and Annabel Croft, and 2016 Wimbledon Wheelchair Doubles champion Alfie Hewett. Local venues are in charge of their own timings, but courses are now running all the way through the summer.

Alastair Marks, LTA Director of Participation, said: “Following the fantastic success of Tennis for Kids in 2016 we’re thrilled to bring it back for a second year, even bigger and better.”

Former British No.1, Annabel Croft, said: “Programmes such as this one are a brilliant way of encouraging children to pick up a racket for the first time, and fulfil the legacy of our current British Tennis talent.”

Les Montgomery, Chief Executive, Highland Spring, adds: “Our partnership with the LTAs ‘The Tennis for Kids’ initiative will continue to bring more children into tennis and empower families to get the water habit at the same time.”

“We‘ve been working with our brilliant Tennis For Kids coaches to make sure we’re delivering a programme that engages, excites and inspires the kids and look forward to welcome the class of 2017 to the game we all love,” says Marks.

Zenit St. Petersburg have been given the green light to host their home matches at the new ‘Stadium St. Petersburg’.

With one year to go until the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Commonwealth Games England (CGE) has announced that Paul Drinkhall and Liam Pitchford are the first athletes to qualify to represent Team England at the 2018 Games.

Paul Drinkhall, 27, is the reigning Commonwealth mixed doubles table-tennis champion with four Commonwealth medals in total and Liam Pitchford, 23, has a total of five Commonwealth medals to his name.

Team England will send a team of around 600 athletes and staff in what will be England’s largest ever team to represent the nation in an overseas sporting event. The team will compete in 18 sports, including 38 para medal events.

Sarah Winckless, Chef de Mission for Commonwealth Games England said: "With only one year to go until Gold Coast 2018, preparations are well advanced and we are confident of sending the best prepared English team to the Gold Coast. We have an excellent team of staff working hard to ensure that when we get out there, Team England will have everything in place for the perfect performance environment.

“Having Paul and Liam as our first athletes to qualify for Gold Coast 2018 is great news. They have both been to the Commonwealth Games before, experienced it, know what is required and will be able to lead from the front, supporting younger athletes at the Games.”

Commonwealth table tennis champion Paul Drinkhall said: “I am delighted to qualify to represent Team England at Gold Coast 2018. The Commonwealth Games is one of the world’s best sporting events and Team England is the country’s most successful team. I know that Commonwealth Games England is working tirelessly to ensure we have the best prepared team and facilities available to give us the very best chance of delivering more success for the nation at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

While Commonwealth table tennis champion Liam Pitchford said: “It is a very proud moment to qualify for Team England. The 2018 Commonwealth Games will be outstanding and I am looking forward to going to the Gold Coast with the aim of returning as Commonwealth champion. Glasgow 2014 was fantastic for Team England athletes and it was vital in terms of my development. The Games has helped me progress to where I am today and I am excited for what next year can bring.”

As part of its plans to send the best prepared team to the Gold Coast, CGE will hold a Team England 10-day preparation camp in Brisbane, create a dedicated performance centre inside the Commonwealth Games Village, and offer a full programme of support services.

Team England’s preparation camp for the Gold Coast will include a number of specially selected high-performance sports and support facilities that will enable athletes to continue training and complete their final preparations prior to entering the Commonwealth Games Village.

The dedicated performance centre will be at the heart of Team England’s headquarters inside the Commonwealth Games Village. It will provide an enhanced environment in the Village for athletes, coaches and support staff, where the team will have access to dedicated doctors, physios and a full range of clinical, rehabilitation, preparation services, kit, equipment, stretching and R&R areas.

Every year over 60,000 visitors make the journey to Horse of the Year Show at the Genting Arena, Birmingham’s NEC for five days of edge-of-your-seat action, world-class competition, lavish shopping and celebrity rider signings. With something on offer for every member of the family, it really is the most elite and exclusive event in the equestrian calendar. Luxury is a given with the unrivalled ring-side views which the hospitality seating beholds, serving exquisite lunch time and evening meals and champagne reception in a black tie ambiance. Champions Bar offers a more sociable and relaxed atmosphere providing panoramic views of the arena and complimentary tea and coffee; the perfect environment for networking and catching up with friends.

There’s a spectrum of supreme entertainment this year, including: National Showing and Showjumping Championships, International Showjumping Competition and two never seen before displays as Atkinson Action Horses present LIMITLESS and the Caspian Horse Society demonstrate The Story of the Caspian Horse. Taking place each day will be the Virbac 3D Worming Pony Club Mounted Games as they compete for the Prince Philip Cup and the Osborne Refrigerators Double Harness Scurry Championship. Thursday’s Dressage Masterclass will be delivered by double Olympic Gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin and the Saturday night highlight is the world famous HOYS Puissance. Sunday’s Gala evening is a party not to be missed with a celebration of everything equestrian. This year the crowd will be treated to a musical performance like no other as the Red Hot Chilli Pipers play their way into the HOYS Finale with their ground-breaking fusion of traditional Scottish music and rock/pop anthems which they proudly call ‘Bagrock’.

A new partnership is set to inspire triathlon participation through the support of youth hostelling charity, YHA (England and Wales).

On the back of a historic and hugely successful year for Britain's athletes at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, British Triathlon has teamed up with YHA, to support the delivery of its world class success, as well as provide opportunities for more people to get involved in the sport.

YHA is now the nominated accommodation partner for British Triathlon. YHA's 160-strong network of properties will also to be used to host British Triathlon's GO TRI events throughout England and Wales, encouraging new communities to take their first steps in the sport in some of the county's most beautiful settings.

As part of the partnership, British Triathlon and its affiliated clubs will benefit from subsidised use of meeting rooms in Youth Hostels, along with heavily discounted YHA membership, accommodation and related products and services.

At its core, the YHA / British Triathlon partnership aims to inspire young people and their families to participate in sport and get active outdoors.  Both parties are committed to enabling children to become more active, not only improving their health, but also developing social skills, increasing self-esteem and nurturing good habits such as commitment, discipline and respect.

The primary vehicle for encouraging participation will be British Triathlon's GO TRI programme, designed as a low-cost, enjoyable way to access triathlon and multisport for the first time. Both GO TRI training and events are available locally and are tailored towards complete novices, with low-cost entry and manageable distances.

Already a number of GO TRI events have been held at YHA sites in the Lake District and Liverpool City Centre, with a further 20 events planned at YHAs throughout 2017.

British Triathlon will also be using YHA's sites for its own performance camps and meetings, utilising the surrounding landscapes of rural Youth Hostels to enable its athletes, including Rio 2016 medalists, Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee and Vicky Holland, to combine the required daily training with team meetings.

Commenting on the partnership with British Triathlon, Caroline White, Chief Executive of YHA England and Wales, said: “This is an extremely exciting opportunity for YHA to work with an organisation that can really influence the impact we have on the lives of young people and their families. The partnership will enable more people of all ages, abilities and from all backgrounds to experience an enhanced triathlon experience.”

Jack Buckner, CEO British Triathlon, added: “We believe this partnership will open up many doors for both British Triathlon and the YHA. With the support of a fantastic organisation, we will have the ability to grow the sport of triathlon by offering even greater participation opportunities across England and Wales to brand new communities.

“The YHA boast venues in some of the county's most stunning locations and we couldn't be more excited to begin this journey alongside them.”