Major plans academies to groom young sports stars

A Nationwide network of sports academies to groom sporting superstars is to be set up.

Children will be selected to attend schools specialising in sports from the moment they show exceptional talent.

They will be trained until they are ready to challenge the best in the world in their chosen field.

And academically gifted sportsmen and women will find it easier to win grants to develop their sporting prowess while continuing their studies.

The two projects - to be funded by National Lottery money - will be announced on Wednesday by John Major.

It is the first significant step in the Prime Minister's pledge to restore Britain to the pinnacle of sporting achievement.

Youngsters will have a full range of facilities for every imaginable sport - from archery to yachting - according to a senior Whitehall source.

Mr Major will announce that he is doubling the current number of sports scholarships from 200 to 400 with the prospect of even more by the time of the millennium Olympics.

Promising athletes who are going to colleges and universities will be able to apply for cash grants that they could spend on equipment, travel, special diets, training and general expenses.

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