Two Sandwell sisters are making huge strides in their bid to become top international athletes -  after being backed by the borough’s Gifted and Talented scheme.

The sisters Josie and Iris Oliarnyk have been backed by the Sandwell Council programme and have made huge improvements to get to national and international standards.

Josie is currently second in the UK for her age group at long jump and recently competed for England in Bratislava. She completed in the British Championship in Birmingham against the likes of Olympic athletes Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

Iris is Midland Champion for the shot and ranked second in the UK for triple jump. She took part in the Midland Championships recently where she achieved two personal bests, in the shot and the triple jump.

And there was more success last weekend (24/25 February) at the England Athletics Age Group nationals in Sheffield.

Josie came fourth overall with an amazing long jump of 6.02 metres, achieving a new personal best, with Iris coming second in the triple jump, also achieving a personal best of 11.99 metres making her second in the UK.

They have been supported by the Gifted and Talented scheme and cabinet member Councillor Paul Moore said: “It is very pleasing to hear that these very talented  sisters are making such a mark in their chosen events.

“It is also very satisfying to hear that the sisters’ parents have said that without the support of the Sandwell programme the girls may not have been able to achieve these excellent achievements.”

“We set out to support talented young athletes in the borough and I hope that the efforts of Josie and Iris will inspire others – and encourage them to seek support funding.”

Young people – able-bodied and disabled - seeking support can apply for assistance on application forms on the council’s website in a bid to get funding.

Youngsters backed by the scheme can get grants of up to £500 a year to support the costs of competing in events under the scheme which was launched in March 2016.

So far 18 people have been supported  giving them help to compete in a wide range of sports, including athletics, swimming, hockey, tennis, gymnastics and karate. The girls’ father John said: “The grants my daughters have received from the Gifted and Talented scheme have been hugely helpful to help with the costs of travelling to events around the country.

“The girls are very pleased to get the financial help that Sandwell Council has provided for them to cover some of these costs and will always be grateful for the support at this important stage of their development.”

Team England has today named 10 artistic gymnasts to compete for Team and Country at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The squad includes triple Commonwealth and double Olympic Champion Max Whitlock MBE and Claudia Fragapane, who will defend the four Commonwealth titles she won at Glasgow 2014.

Max and Claudia are joined on the 2018 Commonwealth Games team by Olympic bronze medalists Amy Tinkler and Nile Wilson.

At Glasgow 2014, Team England topped the gymnastics medal table with a total of 19 medals. Four of the athletes who were part of the successful team at Glasgow will be returning to the Commonwealth Games stage while six of the athletes will be making their Games debut.

The artistic gymnastics competition will take place at Coomera Indoor Sports Centre from 5 to 9 April.

Claudia Fragapane came to prominence at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, where she was the first English woman to win four gold medals since 1930. She said:

“Competing at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow was one of the best and most memorable experiences of my life. I’m so happy to have been selected for Team England again and I’m really excited to be going to Australia.

“Four years on from Glasgow I have a lot more experience and I’m looking forward to supporting my teammates and hopefully repeating the success of last time. We have a really strong group of girls in the team with a mix of experience and some newer girls and I’m confident we can all put in good performances and win medals for England.”

Max Whitlock MBE will be appearing at his third Commonwealth Games having already won eight medals previously. He said:

“I’m delighted to be going to my third Commonwealth Games for Team England and can’t wait to get out to the Gold Coast and begin competition. My Commonwealth Games experiences so far have been incredible and I’m looking forward to being a part of Team England again, aiming to win medals for my nation.

“The gymnastics competition, particularly between the Home Nations, is going to be intense and I know the whole team are working hard to be in the best shape to produce medal winning routines.”

“We had some really strong competition for places on the England team. The team we have selected has a really good balance between youth and experience. I’m really excited to see what we can achieve on the Gold Coast in April.”

Team England Chef de Mission, Sarah Winckless, said:

“I’m delighted to welcome the artistic gymnasts to Team England and I would like to offer my congratulations to the athletes selected. We have an extremely strong recent track record in artistic gymnastics which led to the amazing Team GB performance at the Rio Olympics. I look forward to working with everyone as they compete for Team and Country in April.”

Nearly £50,000 has been handed out as part of Cash for Sports Clubs with around 60 sports clubs benefiting. Grants have been used by clubs to help fund new kits and equipment as well as coaching courses and improving the quality of sessions.

Clubs can apply for funding of up to £500 to help with kits and equipment and up to £1,500 to help grow membership and increase the number of Sandwell residents being active. There's also funding available for specialist coaching.

The scheme was officially launched by cabinet member Councillor Paul Moore with Baggies player Jay Rodriguez and The Albion Foundation.

Councillor Moore said: “We’re really pleased to be able to offer these grants again this year to help out Sandwell sports clubs. These grants can make all the difference for local clubs and this scheme encourage people to get active and enjoy taking part in sport.”

The scheme is open from 26 February 2018 until 27 April 2018.

To apply, go to www.sandwell.gov.uk/cashforsportsclubs

Mimi Cesar, Stephani Sherlock and Hannah Martin have been selected to compete for Team England at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in April.

With 50 days to go until the Games in Australia, the three athletes will make up Team England’s rhythmic gymnastics squad that will compete at Coomera Indoor Sports Centre.

Mimi Cesar and Stephani Sherlock will be returning to the Commonwealth Games stage after competing at Glasgow 2014, while Hannah Martin will be making her Team England debut in April.

Team England ambassador, Birmingham 2022 supporter and three-time British senior all-around champion, Mimi Cesar, said:

“It’s so exciting to be able to tell everyone I have made the Gold Coast team and I can’t wait to get out there and compete for Team England. I’ve been training really hard over the last 18 months with Gold Coast completely in the focus. I know that my time is now in my gymnastics career, it’s been the best it’s ever been and I know that I have the potential to bring home that medal.”

Stephani Sherlock made her Team England debut at Glasgow 2014 and made the finals in all-around, hoop and ball. The 21-year-old, who trains at Espirit Rhythmic in Swindon, is a multiple British champion and medallist.

Sherlock said:  “I’m so excited, I can’t wait to go out to Australia especially as I’ve always wanted to go to Australia so it’s amazing to go as part of Team England and hopefully we can do really well and make everyone proud. I enjoyed Glasgow very much, I was very young, only 17 years old, it was my very first major competition and I can tell that Australia will be an amazing Games that will give me a lot of experience.”

Hannah Martin, who trains at iStar Academy in West Sussex, is a British junior champion who is just beginning her senior career. The 15-year-old is the youngest gymnast on the team and one of the youngest athletes competing for Team England.

She said:

“It’s a real dream come true, it’s something I’ve been dreaming for for a long time and I’ve worked so hard for it and I can’t believe it’s happened for me. I’ve learnt so much from Mimi and Stephani and I watched them in the Commonwealth Games last time and I was like that’s where I want to go so I’m so happy I’m on the team with them because they are my inspiration.

“I just need to work really hard now and when I’m there it’s all about showing my best and doing my country proud. I can’t wait to experience the atmosphere and the pride of competing for my country is something I can’t describe.”

Team England last won a Commonwealth Games medal in rhythmic at Delhi 2010 with a team all-around bronze.

The three gymnasts will be competing across the four rhythmic disciplines on the 11^th, 12^th and 13^th April.

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:

“To welcome our rhythmic gymnastics team today gives me great pleasure. They make up an important part of our gymnastics squad at Team England, and I look forward to working with them at Games time. Mimi-Isabella Cesar has been one of Team England’s ambassadors going into the Games and look forward to support her, Stephani Sherlock and Hannah Martin at Games time.”

Team England’s gymnastics team leader, Mike Weinstock, said:

“I’m really excited to see our rhythmic gymnasts compete on the Gold Coast and I know they can’t wait. They’re a very talented group of gymnasts and have been working very hard on their performance. Mimi and Stephani had the experience of competing in Glasgow and Hannah will be making her Games debut at the age of just 15.

“We know that the Games will be extremely well organised and the whole team is really looking forward to going out at flying the flag for England.”

Alongside World Rugby, Gilbert have launched the official ball for the 2018 men's and women's Rugby World Cups Sevens in San Francisco.

The industry-leading rugby ball manufacturer, Gilbert are a prominent supporter of global rugby development and innovation. The launch of this latest major tournament ball range further underlines Gilbert's technical expertise to the elite game, and rugby fans globally.

The match ball used in San Francisco will be the Synergie XV-6, the only dedicated Sevens match ball produced in World Rugby; and used throughout the HSBC World Rugby 7s Series for the past two series'. Developed exclusively for Sevens rugby, the patented Synergie XV-6 grip offers an enhanced grip ideally suited to the fast paced nature and handling of Sevens rugby.

The RWC 7s 2018 tournament look and feel has inspired the design of the official match ball and its replica. Reflecting the official RWC 7s brand bible these balls showcase the star visual along with the official blue, white and orange colours. At the centre of the design is the official tournament mark, showcasing the globally recognised Golden Gate Bridge. The star visual signifies the many world-class male and female players coming together in California's Bay Area.

On July 20th San Francisco will become a brand new venue for the excitement and exhilaration that rugby 7s brings. Being hosted at the iconic AT & T Park in the San Francisco Bay Area, excitement for the Rugby World Cup 7s 2018 - this year's showpiece event - continues to build as the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series heads to Las Vegas 7 on 2nd March.

Richard Gray, Sales and Marketing Director, Gilbert Rugby, said: “For many years Gilbert have supported the growth of the game in the US and, as Rugby Football grows in popularity from East to West coast, we are delighted to continue the journey with our American friends. The hosting of the RWC 7's 2018 in San Francisco is a major step forward for the game in the US and we are proud to have been selected as the Official Ball supplier.”

Gilbert, who are also official suppliers to a number of national member unions, have been suppliers for five of the six Rugby World Cup Sevens tournaments.

Premiership Champions Exeter Chiefs recently swapped their training ground at Sandy Park, Exeter for the award-winning Salcombe Distilling Co. in the beautiful seaside town of Salcombe. These highly skilled team players used their charisma and flair to raise the bar creating delicious Salcombe Gin cocktails.

It was then head to head in a play-off to design and develop their very own bottle of gin at the Salcombe Gin School accompanied by Exeter Rugby Club Chairman and Chief Executive, Tony Rowe OBE.

Tony said: “Salcombe Gin is very popular amongst those who visit Sandy Park for match-days as well as the many functions, dinners and events we host. We have a new Gin & Fizz Bar and it's great that we have such a fantastic product available right here on our doorstep."

He continued, “As someone who is partial to the odd drop of gin, it was fantastic for myself and the players to get a real insight into how they make Salcombe Gin. Not only did we find the trip hugely informative, but to then get the chance to distill our own was great fun."

Howard Davies, co-founder, said, “We were delighted to host Tony and the players at our waterside distillery. They were intrigued about how we make our award-winning gin and were soon shaking some cocktails behind the bar before heading over to our Gin School. They each took charge of a mini-copper still in our distilling laboratory, choosing from over 100 botanicals to create their unique gin recipe.”

Salcombe Gin head distiller, Jason Nickels continued, “As you would expect, they were all highly competitive, seeking perfection at every stage of the process but we also had a lot of fun along the way. Walnuts were a dominant flavour in Tony's gin and Jack used coffee in his, resulting in some awesome espresso martinis shaken in the distillery bar afterwards”.

It was the perfect match between two award-winning teams in Devon.