Champions of the Future supported athlete qualifies for World Championship and turns pro

ActiveWestminster’s Champions of the Future scheme has helped to create another success story, as Triathlete Gabriele Genucci will soon turn professional after qualifying for the 2025 World Championships.

Currently in its 14^th year, Westminster’s Champions of the Future scheme operates in conjunction with our leisure operator Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions programme, giving our city’s future stars the opportunity to access financial support, high-quality training facilities via our leisure centres, as well as expert advice, all for free. The scheme has helped hundreds of athletes on their sporting journeys, including Paris Olympians Bianca Williams and Ashley McKenzie - with the former taking home an Olympic bronze medal from the games.

Having placed on the podium in a number of UK races this year, Gabriele concluded his season by competing in Ironman Serbia – consisting of a 2km swim, a 90km cycle, and finishing with a 20km run. His finishing position of second, and his time of 4 hours: 12 minutes: 33 seconds, meant he met the standard for a professional licence from the Italian National Team, as well as qualifying him for the 2025 Ironman World Championship.

Gabriele utilises the scheme by training every day at Queens Mother Sports Centre in Pimlico North, where he swims, uses the sauna, plus the gym for running and strength training. He also takes advantage of our partnership with Kings College London, a new addition to the scheme this year, where he gets 1-2-1 physiotherapy and psychology support from studying students.

Speaking to Westminster City Council, and wearing his new race vest sporting logos of Active Westminster and Everyone Active, Gabriele said:

I’m really proud to be part of Westminster’s Champions of the Future scheme, it means I get to use this beautiful sports centre (Queen Mother) for all my training, and the 1-2-1 support I get at King’s College is really important in getting me ready for competitions. I can’t wait to be racing professionally next season.

Cabinet Member for Communities, Cllr Cara Sanquest said:

This is a brilliant success story from our Champions of the Future scheme - being the latest in a long line of athletes who have been supported by the programme and gone on to achieve great things. I look forward to keeping up with Gabriele’s progress, and fingers crossed that next season he can become the latest World Championship medalist from the programme.

Kyle Maundrell, General Manager at Queen Mother Sports Centre, said:

We're incredibly proud of the continued success of Sporting Champions and Champions of the Future in supporting talented athletes like Gabriele. By providing access to world-class facilities, financial support, and expert mentorship, we're helping aspiring athletes turn their dreams into reality. We hope Gabriele's success will encourage more aspiring athletes to apply when our next round of applications opens, showing that with the right support, incredible achievements are possible.

Notes to editors:

Athletes on Westminster’s Champions of the Future scheme are eligible for funding to help towards their training, equipment, and competition costs, plus get free access to Everyone Active facilities in Westminster and across the UK for training needs. As well as this, through our newly formed partnership with King’s College London, they can access additional support including workshops covering performance nutrition, sports psychology, strength conditioning training, and 1-2-1 physiotherapy.

Athletes on the programme must live, study or work in Westminster, be registered with a National Governing Body affiliated club, and either be ranked in the top 20 at a regional competition or be a member of a regional squad.