MOUNTAIN bike star Emily Carrick-Anderson believes selection for SportsAid’s Next Generation programme, supported by Aldi, will help with the rising costs of travelling to competitions, writes Jonny Bray. 

SportsAid supports over 1,000 young athletes each year by providing a financial award to help with training and competition costs while also delivering personal development opportunities to many athletes through workshop sessions.

Aldi are now working in partnership with SportsAid to support 20 young athletes on their journey to becoming future Olympians and Paralympians – including Carrick-Anderson – and helping them to eat like a champion.

The 17-year-old from Peebles finished first in the XCO Youth at the 2021 National Mountain Bike Championships and repeated the feat at the National MTB Series #3 later that year.  

"It will help so much," said Carrick-Anderson, speaking after filming a new TV advertising campaign for Aldi, who work with Team GB and ParalympicsGB on the Get Set to Eat Fresh programme, helping school children eat healthier and live an active lifestyle.  

"The amount of travelling we have to do and with all the fuel money - obviously with fuel costs rising so much – means it will really help.  

"There is so much money that you need to put into the sport that you don't realise.  

"All the food and all the travelling and all the kit. It will help a lot.  

"I've had a few bits of support from local clubs and stuff, but this is the biggest one so far, so I am quite honoured that I have been selected to get the funding.  

"The amount of support I have had so far in terms of all the social media aspects, it feels like it is going to be a big life help, not just in the sport.  

Each year, athletes are nominated to SportsAid by the national governing bodies of more than 60 sports based on set criteria.

The Aldi-supported athletes will be receiving a £2,000 award through SportsAid. Aldi will also support their 20 athletes with a £25 monthly voucher, to fuel them through training, competitions and to future Olympic and Paralympic Games.

And Carrick-Anderson said she was grateful that her parents have supported her throughout her career so far.  

She added: "I would not be here without my parents, and that's just the way it is.  

"I would not have been able to get to races. I would not have been able to pay for everything.  

"I just would not be where I am now without them, so I am very grateful.

"So essentially, my dad was my coach for a very long time, and then I got onto the Scottish Cycling programme, so I had a Scottish Cycling coach, but now that I am on Team GB, I've got a British cycling coach, and I have had him for the past few months, and it's going well." 

Aldi is the Official Supermarket Partner of Team GB and ParalympicsGB and have partnered with Team GB since 2015, ParalympicsGB since 2022 and will be supporting them through to Paris 2024.