Your next brand ambassador

With this year’s Paralympics set to be the biggest in history, Team GB’s athletes are poised to take the stage and make their mark on the Games and the British public. Marketing Week picks out the top ten athletes that could deliver gold for brands during and after the event.

Hannah Cockroft

HannahCockfroft.Paras

Age 19 : Events T34 100m/200m : Appears in campaigns for Lloyds, Channel 4, Sainsbury’s and BT.

Cockroft set a new record for wheelchair sprinting in May. The wheelchair sprinter has been smashing records over the last two years and her performance at the100m and 200m events will see her and those Paralympic sponsors associated with her thrust into the spotlight.

Libby Clegg

LibbyClegg.Paras

Age 21 : Events T12 100m/200m Appears in campaigns for N/A.

Visually impaired world champion sprinter Clegg is hoping to go one better than her silver medal from Beijing and win Gold at the London 2012 Games. The sprinter won Gold at the world championships last year with guide runner Mikail Huggins and they both took double Gold at the European Championships in June.

Peter Norfolk

PeterNorfolk.Paras

Age 21 : Event T12 100m/200m : Appears in campaigns for Channel 4.

Known as the quadfather, the British wheelchair champion is tipped to take Gold at this year’s Games. The two-time 51-year old singles Paralympic champion is likely to be one of the key faces for Team GB during the Paralympics.

Danielle Brown

DanielleBrown.Paras

Age 23 : Event Archery – Women’s Individual Compound (Open) : Appears in campaigns for Sainsbury’s, Channel 4.

Great things are expected from Brown at this year’s Paralympics. The archer cemented her place in history when she became the first Paralympian to represent England in an able-bodied event at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. As one of the more recognisable faces of the national team, the 22 year-old’s world-class ability makes her a stand out ambassador for brands.

Shelly Woods

ShellyWoods.Paras

Age 25 : Events Wheelchair racing in T54 800m, 5000m and marathon : Appears in campaigns for BP, British Airways, Adidas.

Woods is one of Britain’s best athletes in the long distance wheelchair category. She won the Great North Run in 2005, is the national record holder over 5,000 metres and brought home silver in 1500m at the Beijing Games. Paralysed from the waist down, Woods is likely to be one of the faces of the Games if she can deliver on the moments of brilliance she has shown throughout her career so far.

Jonnie Peacock

JonniePeacock.Paras

Age 19 : Event T44 100m : Appears in campaigns for BT, Adidas, Sainsbury’s and Channel 4.

South African ‘Blade Runner’ Oscar Pistorius may be the pin up boy for Paralympic athletes but Peacock is tipped to usurp the amputee as king of the track at this year’s Games. The 19-year-old single-leg sprinter broke the world record in the 100m at the US Paralympic Track & Field trials earlier this year. The record has already made the much anticipated men’s 100m Paralympic final next month (6 September) an even more mouth watering prospect. If Peacock an overcome his rivals we could be looking at a new pin up boy for British Paralympics and brands looking to resonate with younger audiences.

Jon-Allan Butterworth

JonAllanButterworth.Paras

Age 25 : Event Cycling – C5 Kilo Pursuit : Appears in campaigns for Sainsbury’s and Channel 4.

Since losing his left arm in a rocket attack during military service in Iraq four years ago, former RAF engineer Butterworth has become a world record holder after taking up cycling. His goal at the London Games is Gold and with his uncompromising approach to sport there’s no reason why he cannot beat Australian rival Michael Gallagher and go on to win the event. His emotional journey and rise to prominence on the world Paralympic scene make him a worthy pick for a sponsor looking to embrace all that the Games stand for.

Bethany Woodward

BethanyWoodward.Paras

Age 18 : Event T37 400m : Appears in campaigns for Adidas.

Woodward has eyes firmly on the podium at this year’s Games as the athlete targets three Gold medals when she takes the centre stage. She won the 400m race at the World Championships in New Zealand. Despite her win, Woodward’s profile has remained relatively low in the run-up to the even compared to some of her teammates. This could all change, however, when the athlete takes to the track.

Ellie Simmonds

EllieSimmonds.Paras

Age 16 : Events Swimming – 400m Freestyle (S6) / 200m Individual Medley (SM6) / 50m Freestyle (S6) / 100m Freestyle (S6) : Appears in campaigns for Cadbury, Sainsbury’s, Adidas, BMW, Channel 4 and EDF Energy.

The poster girl for the Team GB Paralympics team is a fierce competitor and has amassed a plethora of accolades in her 16 years: She has won eight Gold medals, won the BB Sports Personality of the Year and in 2009 was the youngest person to be awarded an MBE. The numerous events she is competing in make her a great pick for sponsors looking to run tactical press campaigns around the Games.

Team GB blind Five-a-Side football team

FivaSide.Paras

Age N/A : Event Blind Football : Appears in campaign N/A

The five-a-side Paralympic sport is played by visually impaired athletes using a ball with a rattling bell inside it. An absence of the offside rule, throw-ins and corners mean that this is a game all about skill and extra-sensory perception. Off the back of the Olympic team’s modest performance earlier this month, the five-a-side team have an opportunity to do better and attract some investment for blind football in the UK with a stellar run.

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