Olympic silver medalist Colin Jackson CBE will be the guest of honour at the launch of the Canterbury Institute of Sport this week.

The three times 110 metres hurdles world champion, world record holder and European & Commonwealth Champion will be on hand to inspire the next generation at the awards evening at The Canterbury Academy which will recognise great sporting achievements within Kent.

The Canterbury Academy is one of the country’s leading Sports Colleges. Some of its many achievements include being  the national winner of The Education Business Partnership for Innovation in Sport and being recognised by The Youth Sports Trust as a national centre of excellence for provision in Gifted & Talented Sport.

With over 80 elite athletes in their Sixth Form, the sports academies are a vibrant environment where you can study and develop alongside athletes from a wide range of sports.

Designated as a 2012 Olympic and Paralympic training facility, the £4.5 million sports complex comprises a fitness gym, sports hall, floodlit football pitch, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, floodlit beach facility, multi-use games area and a six lane 400 metre floodlit athletics track.

Working in partnership with the likes of Gillingham Football Club, Canterbury Rugby Club and Medway Park Crusaders Basketball Club, the Canterbury Academy are hoping to celebrate the hard work undertaken by their students with Director of Sport, Phil Relf, telling KSN how he is looking forward to recognising the great achievements by everyone involved:

“The Canterbury Academy Annual Sports Awards is an opportunity for us to recognise and celebrate the achievements of students within our schools and partnership.”

“We are delighted that we will have Colin Jackson CBE as our guest of honour. His record as an elite performer is outstanding and he has the profile to inspire and motivate all of our nominees.”

“His subsequent successful career as a broadcaster and as part of the successful London 2012 bid, make him an excellent ambassador for sport and he has a massive interest in grass roots development and elite sport performance.”

One of the key parts of the evening next Tuesday is to launch the Canterbury Institute of Sport and Relf explained about just some of the sports that happen at Canterbury Academy:

“Our programme within Canterbury Primary school and The Canterbury High School is designed to cater for students with a genuine talent in sport and our nationally unique Appeti Tennis School demonstrates our commitment to providing gifted and talented pupils with professional coaching and innovative support services.”

“The Canterbury Institute of Sport will be launched on the night itself and this encompasses the group of sports that we now have sixth form elite academy programmes in.”

“We currently run academies in athletics, football, basketball, trampolining, rugby, individual sports and tennis and we are expanding this to include cricket, golf,squash, triathlon and even American Football.”

With such a high profile sportsman as Colin Jackson CBE in attendance as well as Kent cricketer Geraint Jones and ex-Fiji rugby legend, Nicky Little, Relf is hoping the night will be a great success:

“The Sports Awards evening is an opportunity for us to recognise our partners and staff who work hard to provide such a quality programme.”

“There will be a number of prizes on the night with an overall sports personality of the year award being the culmination of an exciting evening.”

Former student Jack Green competed at the 2012 Olympics in the 110 metre hurdles and is often seen using the facilities at The Canterbury Academy.

For the 21 year old, there is no better place to train:

“The Canterbury Institute for Sport at The Canterbury Academy provides an excellent opportunity for those who wish to maximise their sporting potential.”

“I know from first hand experience the quality of coaching and mentors and their valuable experience.”

“The support and professionalism of the sports programmes is outstanding. I can recommend them.”

To find out more about The Canterbury Academy and the Canterbury Institute of Sport, visit their website www.canterburyacademy.co.uk