To make sure they maximise the opportunity, however, everyone involved will have to unite more than ever before and challenge each other to create a single and genuinely cohesive commitment to building on the foundations laid since the introduction of National Lottery funding for high performance sport in 1997, Steele said as he launched UK Sport’s World Class Performance Conference at The Belfry. 

 

Now in its ninth year, the event is one of the high-points in the sporting calendar, attended by over 300 coaches, sport scientists and other athlete support personnel from more than 30 different Olympic and Paralympic sports. 

 

Steele’s comments reflected the theme of ‘Teamship’ that is the basis of this year’s conference, with learning coming from the world of sport but also the arts, broadcasting and the military.
 

Steele said: "After the highpoint of [the 2008] Beijing [Olympics], some might have expected to see a dip in performance this year but the opposite is true. 

 

"It has been another summer of success for many sports, with a number of breakthrough performances from the likes of Alistair Brownlee [in triathlon], Beth Tweddle [in gymnastics] and our men’s and women’s hockey teams building on continued world class performances from our more regular medal winning sports. 

"This shows the incredible incentive that London 2012 is for our summer sports – and the catalyst that it can be for our ambitions.   

 

"As a nation we have never been better placed to capitalise: with the talent, ambition and drive of athletes and coaches complemented by the fantastic resources, experience and expertise at our disposal from all those involved in delivering the sporting system.
 

"Now is our time:  we can build lasting foundations that will secure not only medals at the Games but a high performance system that is truly world leading. 

 

"But we can only do this if we all work together as a single cohesive unit."