Team Mall goes for gold
Published: 01 March, 2007
The Mall has sponsored eight Olympic hopefuls across a range of sports in the run-up to the 2008 games in Beijing. All eight will receive financial and moral support from the company as they prepare for the games.
Gail Emms, mixed doubles badminton World and Commonwealth champion, will act as the captain of Team Mall 2008. The other team members are rower Peter Reed; sailor Pippa Wilson; 15-year-old table tennis prospect Darius Knight; shooter Neil Stirton; swimmer Chris Cook; Paralympic track and road racer Shelly Woods and judo's Gemma Gibbons.
The Mall chief executive Ken Ford said: "Team Mall 2008 is intended not only to support these athletes as they prepare for Beijing 2008, but, through their association with our Malls, to inspire our local communities and get them thinking more about sport and leading active, healthy lifestyles. As part of that, if we can also inspire one or two champions of the future then even better!"
Gail Emms welcomed the Mall's support: "Sponsorship deals such as The Mall's are crucial to our success. As an athlete, all the support you receive in the build-up to a major championships is incredibly beneficial.
"What The Mall is doing differently," added Emms, "encouraging the community to get behind us and provide moral support as well as the financial backing we receive corporately, gives us a tremendous boost. Knowing you have the backing of so many people is a phenomenal incentive to achieve our goals."
