Attending the Launch of the Jaguar Academy of Sport yesterday in London, of which I am a member of the media panel, was like having lunch with every sportsman and woman you'd ever want to. Laid on by top chefMarcus Wareing at the Berkeley those whoattended included: Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Ian Botham, Dame Kelly Holmes, Gareth Edwrads, Denise Lewis, Jessica Ennis, Michael Vaughan, Colin Jackson, Mark Foster, Martin Brundle, Dave Brailsford, Jamie Baulch and Tasha Danvers. Shane Williams and a certain David Beckham were unable to attend butBecks left a message of support on video, which made big fan Jessica Ennis especially happy. I sat next to Tasha who was a great delight, in mischievous form and possesses one of the biggest laughs in sport. The hope is that through the Jaguar Academy, which will be handing out bursaries to Britain's future sports stars and using their star names as mentors, an Olympic or world champion or three will be unearthed. Maybe the steady drip drip of lost sporting talent in this country will be slowed right down as a result?
