Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
A young cyclist sponsored by Southampton builders merchant Elliott Brothers has won two medals at the cycling World Championships.
20 year-old Dani King has been sponsored by Elliotts since July 2007 and is now a strong contender for the London 2012 Olympics.
King won gold in the World Championships team pursuit title in the Netherlands last Thursday (March 24) and followed that up with a bronze in the non-Olympic scratch race. It’s the first time she has ever appeared in the GB squad. According to press reports, she only took up cycling as it was a good way of getting out of maths lessons.
Elliotts’ sponsorship pays for King’s travel and accommodation while she is training as she receives nothing from official sporting funds.
Elliotts managing director Stuart Elliott says the company answered a plea for sponsorship when King was just 16 and says: “We’ve always held the view that the business is part of the wider community and, as Elliotts has always had a link with the cycling world through the charity events we have held, the sponsorship of Dani seemed a good choice.”
Elliotts own cycling charity events have now raised over £3m for charity over the past 16 years.
King’s teammates in the gold-winning pursuit team are Laura Trott, 19, Wendy Houvenaghel, 36.
