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Hannah Cockroft launches sports management company
Great British Paralympic champion Cockroft was inspired by poor dealings in the past to launch her own business venture. 04 Nov 2014
Hannah Cockroft of Great Britain celebrates winning the women's 100m T34 final during day three of the IPC Athletics World Championships on July 22, 2013 in Lyon, France.
Great Britain’s Paralympic and world champion wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft has launched her own sports management company.
Determined by poor dealings with managers and agents in the past, Cockroft has launched her company 17 Sports Management Limited.
The name is derived from the optimum speed of 17mph (27.35km/h) that a wheelchair racer can achieve.
“There are some good management companies out there, but there are also many that are not so reputable,” Cockroft told the Yorkshire Post.
“I want to be able to help fellow sports people avoid the pitfalls and traps that I fell into. I want them to benefit from my unfortunate experiences.
“The team at 17 have extensive business experience and I know that our clients will benefit from this along with my understanding of competing at the highest level,” Cockroft added.
The company aims to put the interests of the athlete first, taking away outside pressures to allow the client to train and compete at the highest level.
She is joined in this venture by Ian Byers, who has over 12 years’ experience as a Managing Director of a major company and somebody who has supported the likes of Cockroft and Great Britain’s Olympic gold medallist sprinter Marlon Devonish throughout their careers.
He will front the company as Cockroft continues to focus on her preparations for the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar, and the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Also joining the company is Boo Matthews, who has a wealth of experience in marketing and public relations.
Cockroft first introduced herself on the international scene with double-gold in the 100m and 200m T34 at the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand.
She then shot to fame with two gold medals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games in Great Britain, before retaining her world titles in Lyon, France, in 2013.
And in 2014, she won her first European title with 100m T34 glory at the 2014 IPC Athletics European Championships in Swansea, Great Britain.
Cockroft is also the world record holder in the T34 across 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m.
For more information on her company, visit the 17 Sports Management website.
