Enfield's 'amazing' Olympic success is second best in UK (From Enfield Independent)

Enfield's 'amazing' Olympic success is second best in UK

12:02pm Tuesday 14th August 2012 in News By Hermione Wright

Great Britain has a lot to thank Enfield for after its athletes won the second highest number of medals out of anywhere in the UK.

Enfield’s athletes won three gold and one bronze medal during the Olympics, coming joint second with Lancashire and only beaten by Yorkshire athletes, who won 12 medals in total.

Equestrian star Charlotte Dujardin claimed two gold medals for Team GB in team and individual dressage, Ben Maher took gold for team show jumping, and high jumper Robbie Grabarz won bronze.

No other London borough has won as many medals in this year's Games.

Enfield's success has already sparked a surge of interest in sports, with clubs hoping the Olympics will leave a lasting legacy in Enfield.

Hayley Head, yard manager at Gillian’s Riding School at Brayside Farm in Clay Hill, said: “It is definitely having a knock on effect – even while the Olympics was on, right at the beginning we were getting phone calls about it.”

She said children have been particularly enthusiastic about the Games and have turned up to riding lessons wearing Olympic t-shirts.

She added: “Although I think it could fizzle out quite quickly, if people are encouraged to do it, then it will carry on. Once you have the bug, you have the bug.”

Pani Theodorou, who works for Mayfield Tennis Club in Kenmare Gardens, Palmers Green, said Enfield’s success is “amazing” and hopes it will encourage more people to play sports in the borough.

She said: “I hope it will get more young people involved and I hope it will be publicised.

"If there is a big deal made about it and clubs like ours keep offering things to get people involved, then I hope it will. Now is the time everyone is inspired.”

The club offers free sessions to approximately 70 people every Sunday to encourage more people in the borough to take up tennis.

Keith Williams, chair of Ellenborough Table Tennis Club in Kimberley Gardens, Enfield Town, said it is “excellent” news to hear the borough’s athletes have performed so well in the Olympics.

He said more people have called the club to enquire about lessons since the start of the Olympics, and there has been an increase in people dropping in to play.

He added: “We do hope the Olympics will encourage more people to get involved in table tennis.

“We would like there to be an increased awareness of the minority sports like table tennis, because what we found is the majority sports – like football and rugby – tend to get more help with funding.”