Hurdle champion Dai Greene makes a splash as he poses on a giant 3D art installation in the heart of Cardiff?s city centre to mark 20 years – and over £7billion – of National Lottery funding to sport
Cardiff people were yesterday (23 June) given the chance to pose as a top-performing athlete, cheered on by adoring crowds, as a massive 3D pavement artwork was launched by The National Lottery in Cardiff City Centre.
Depicting a gravity-defying diving board perilously high above a stadium of athletic sports below, the 3D artwork celebrates 20 years of National Lottery funding to sport.
With a month to go to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, National Lottery funded Team Wales hero and defending Commonwealth champion hurdler, Dai Greene, joined in the fun and had his first try at the high dive.
Talking about the 3D artwork, Dai Greene said: “The pressure is mounting in the build up to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, so it has been great to take time out, meet the Welsh public and to enjoy this remarkable piece of art with them.
“My hurdling career has been greatly supported by the National Lottery and is helping me prepare for the Glasgow games this year. It?s been fun today to have a go on the high dive and help celebrate 20 years of funding to sport. Everyone who plays the National Lottery should be proud of the difference the money is making.”
Every week, National Lottery players raise over £33 million for good causes. Since 1994, the National Lottery has invested over £7 billion in sport at all levels, with over 1,300 elite athletes currently receiving Lottery funding.
Vicki Kennedy, spokesperson for The National Lottery, said: “The National Lottery made its first draw twenty years ago this year. Since then our massive investment in sport has raised the performance of our athletes, built world-class venues, boosted grassroots sport and improved facilities across Wales.”
In the last 20 years, nearly 40,000 arts, sports, heritage, health, education, environment, charity and voluntary projects totalling nearly £1.5 billion have been funded in Wales. These include:
- Wales National Pool in Swansea, which has received over £9.4 million in National Lottery grants, and has helped train Lottery-funded Olympic and Paralympic athletes such as Ellie Simmons
- National Indoor Athletics Training and Competition Centre in Cardiff, which received over £5.6m
- Wales National Velodrome, Newport, which received over £7.5m
- North Wales Indoor Athletics Centre at Coleg Cambria, Flintshire received £1.4m
- Over 12,000 sports grants, including grassroots clubs such as City of Cardiff Swimming Club, which was awarded £1,544 for coaching and equipment in February
