UK Sport Renew BAE Systems Research and Innovation Agreement

UK Sport has announced that ‘world class engineering’ will continue to support British athletes with the renewal of their agreement with BAE Systems.

BAE Systems will continue to act as UK Sport’s Official Research and Innovation Partner on the ‘Road to Rio’ in the £800k ($1.25m) agreement.

Both summer and winter sports and athletes will have access to new technologies in the lead-up to Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016 thanks to the deal.

Shelly Woods, decease London 2012 Paralympic silver medallist unveiled a new racing wheel which can improve Britain’s wheelchair racers acceleration by up to 20% as part of the announcement.

New wheels boost athletes

Woods said: “Paralympic sport is growing year on year in strength and depth, ed and being able to make use of the best in British engineering, thanks to this partnership between BAE Systems and UK Sport, can help keep British athletes at the forefront of this fiercely competitive environment.

“Having access to this kind of expertise gives us a huge boost and motivates me to train hard and continue to work on my racing technique every day, safe in the knowledge I have wonderful support around me.”

Simon Howison, Engineering Projects Director at BAE Systems, added: “This partnership will continue to help us demonstrate how engineering can be applied in many different areas and encourage more young people to consider a career in science, technology, engineering and maths.

“We’re hugely proud to work with British athletes and help support incremental gains in performance that might make a real difference to the nation’s sporting success.”

Minister for Sport thanks BAE

Minister for Sport, Hugh Robertson thanked BAE Systems for their previous work and believed their technology helped Team GB to a successful London 2012.

Robertson said: “The difference between success and failure in sport can often come down to the smallest of margins. The cutting edge technology from BAE Systems contributed to British athletes’ incredible success in the run-up to and during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. I am pleased that BAE Systems’ partnership with UK Sport will continue to support our best athletes, with Sochi and Rio on the horizon.”