The ActiveWestminster Champions of the Future programme gives Westminster’s gifted and talented athletes an opportunity to access financial support and mentoring to help with training and development.
The window for applications for the 2025 intake is now CLOSED.
The process
Please note that if Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions programme does not provide a bursary with their award, the Champions of the Future programme might still be able to if athletes are successful with their application. (In order to do access this funding, athletes just need to confirm their consent at the bottom of the application page).
Once you have submitted your Sporting Champions application, those who qualify for the ActiveWestminster Champion of the Future programme will be contacted upon fulfilment of the qualification criteria as set out above.
Those who are successfully admitted on to the Champion of the Future programme can be awarded a sum of financial support regardless of the type of package selected when applying for Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions Sponsorship.
In addition to receiving developmental and financial support, successful athletes are partnered with a local primary school to help inspire young people to be more active and lead healthier lives, as part of Westminster City Council’s strategy. This may involve 1-2 informal visits over the course of the year to meet with students and talk about your sporting endeavours.
Benefits
The programme is open to athletes aged 12 and above. Athletes will be selected on sporting success and the level at which they are competing.
If you compete at district, regional or national level, you could get:
- Funding to be used for travel, equipment and accommodation
- Free access to Everyone Active leisure centres across the UK
- Free access to development and support through our partnership with King’s College London, including workshops and 1-2-1 physiotherapy.
- The opportunity to be recognised in ActiveWestminster Awards and other regional awards.
- Help to gain coaching qualifications and the opportunity to apply for roles with Everyone Active
Qualifying criteria
Athletes admitted on to the scheme are selected based on their sporting success and the level at which they compete.
To be considered for the programme applicants must:
- Live, study or work in Westminster
- Be registered with a National Governing Body affiliated club and either:
-
- be ranked in the top 20 at a regional competition in the current year (2024 – 2025), or
- be a member of a regional squad (age band to senior) with regional squad results in the current championship year (2024 – 2025).
The window for applications for the 2026 intake will be published in early 2026.
Our Champions of the Future – 2025 Intake
Check below this year’s list of of Westminster Champions of the Future athletes.

Bryan Leong
Butterfly Swimming
BIO
7 times Malaysian record holder in 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 50m breastroke,100m butterfly and 4x100m medley relay
2024 World Aquatics Championships - Top 21 in the world
2023 World Aquatics Championships
2023 Asian Games finalist
2023 World University Games semi-finalist
2022 Commonwealth Games semi-finalist

Connor McHale
Ultimate Frisbee
BIO
Ultiworld Runner Up European Player of 2024
National Champion 6 times
European Champion 4 times
Team GB medallist (World Bronze, European Gold, European Bronze)
Silver medal in the US national finals (2023)
4th with GB at the European Grass Championships
3rd at the World Beach Championships
2nd at UK Nationals
1st at European Championships
Darmani Velinor
Basketball
BIO
Ranked #1 UK 3x3 Basketball player during the 2023/24 season
2x Ball Out National 3x3 Champion (2022 & 2023), with a narrow loss in the 2024 final
Competed on the FIBA 3x3 World Tour in Debrecen, the world’s top 3x3 event
NBA 3X Tournament Winner and top finisher in the Athens 3x3 Quest Run
Widely regarded as the #1 1v1 basketball player in the UK, undefeated, and winner of events like Hoopsfix King of the Court
Emma Meneghetti
Alpine Skiing
Eric Lesesne
Swimming, Waterpolo
BIO
Awarded Junior Swimmer of the Year and named a Swim Scholar in 2024
Earned Aquatics Tie and Water Polo Tie for outstanding commitment and performance
Member of the Performance Squad at Chelsea & Westminster Swimming Club
Competed at British and English Summer Nationals 2024 and Winter Nationals 2024 at Ponds Forge
Holds a school relay record; team won the Tonbridge Trophy and John Nelson Medley Trophy
Specialises in Backstroke (50m, 100m, 200m) and competes in Freestyle and Butterfly across county, regional, and national levels

Grace Martin
Dodgeball
Jonabel Taguibao
Table Tennis
BIO
Play league football weekly with school and Bloomsbury Football
Winner of London Youth Games for table tennis (2022 & 2023)
Winner of Table Tennis England Nationals (Teams) in 2022.
Winner of Women’s British League Teams Division 5 (Feb 2024)
Currently ranked 58 nationally in Table Tennis England (Juniors)
Recently returned to competition after a break for GCSEs
Louis Guennou
Fencing (Foil)
BIO
2022 British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) National Champion
Current Team GB Member (34 Selections for England/Great Britain)
Top 8 at Zagreb U23 World Cup 2024
Top 32 out of 278 at 2025 Paris Challenge International
Team GB Member at 2022 & 2024 U23 European Championships
2023 Five Nations Champion (Team, England)
2022 Sportsman of the Year at University College London (UCL)

Maia Bouchier
Cricket
BIO
International for England
Selected to be the opening batter for England in T20's and ODI's
June 24 scored maiden ODI hundred against New Zealand, scoring 482 runs and averaging 37.07 in 15 ODI innings
Selected for first World Cup competition in October, scoring a match winning 62 not out to get England to the semi finals.
December 24 made Test debut, scoring 126 and helped beat SA in an away series
Jan 2025 got selected to open the batting for England in Women's Ashes for all formats
Maya Orfanidis
Swimming
BIO
2022 British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) National Champion
Current Team GB Member (34 Selections for England/Great Britain)
Top 8 at Zagreb U23 World Cup 2024
Top 32 out of 278 at 2025 Paris Challenge International
Team GB Member at 2022 & 2024 U23 European Championships
2023 Five Nations Champion (Team, England)
2022 Sportsman of the Year at University College London (UCL)

Oliver Lam-Watson
Fencing
BIO
Ambassador Role
Double Paralympic Medallist at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games (held in 2021):
Silver medal in the Men’s Team Foil
Bronze medal in the Men’s Team Épée
Represented Great Britain as part of the GB Wheelchair Fencing Team
Multiple medals at World Cup and European Championship level in team events

Tin-Tin Ho
Table Tennis

William White
Basketball
Yaqub Wagdi
Fencing

Zahra Butt
Taekwondo
BIO
Titans Cup (Gold) in Patterns
University World Championships (Bronze)
Invited to and attended the Barada Camp (specialist camp for national athletes in Slovenia)
BUTL national award
Gold in Sparring and Silver in Patterns (Impact Open national competition)
Silver in Sparring (Welsh Open Nationals)
Selected to be in the competition group at Desilva TKD
Graded up to 3rd Degree Black belt
Selected to go to the World Cup 2026
Zeina Negm
Table Tennis