Hall of Fame

The Balfour Beatty London Youth Games Hall of Fame was created in 2009 to recognise former London Youth Games competitors who have gone on to world class sporting careers and to celebrate the role the Games have had in their development.

Since its launch, eighteen athletes have been inducted at the annual Balfour Beatty London Youth Games Hall of Fame and Annual Awards Evening, which also recognises the groups and individuals who make a huge contribution to the success of each year.

To date, the London Youth Games Hall of Fame inductees have won 28 Olympic or Paralympic medals, 57 World Championship medals and amassed over 1000 international appearances for their country. The Hall of Fame athletes cover ten sports and thirteen London boroughs.

Our Hall of Fame athletes are:

CHEMMY ALCOTT - SKI RACER SUPREME

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011. She represented Richmond in tennis and dry slope skiing as a youngster before going on to become one of the UK’s most successful alpine ski racers. She is the only British ski racer to have won a single run in a World Cup race. She is also the only British female ski racer ever to have competed at three Olympic Games.

STEVE BACKLEY - JAVELIN LEGEND 

Competed for Bexley as a youngster at the London Youth Games before going on to be one of the most successful athletes of his generation. He twice broke the javelin world record and is the only British track and field athlete to have won medals at three successive Olympic Games. He has also won two World Championship silvers, four European Championship golds and three Commonwealth Games golds. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009 and hosted the 2011 ceremony.

ELAINE BARRETT - PARALYMPIC CHAMP

Her introduction to competitive sport came at the London Youth Games. Swimming coach Michelle Weltmann was tasked with recruiting Hackney’s London Youth Games team for the disability swimming competition. It saw Elaine make her first step onto the competitive pathway which took her right to the top of her sport. She won five Paralympic Games medals, including gold in the SB11 (blind) class at the 2004 Athens Games. She also won 29 world or European medals and broke seven world records. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.

LINFORD CHRISTIE – SPRINT KING
He competed at the first ever London Youth Games in 1977 for Hammersmith & Fulham where he was only selected for the relay. He went on to enjoy one of the most successful careers of any British athlete, crowned by his victory in the men’s 100m at the 1992 Olympic Games. He is the only man ever to simultaneously hold the Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth 100m titles. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

TASHA DANVERS - HURDLES STAR

Competed for Croydon in athletics at the London Youth Games. She made her breakthrough to international level by reaching the 400m hurdles final at the 2000 Olympic Games. She then missed the 2004 Olympic Games due to child birth, but she returned to take silver at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and at the 2008 Olympic Games, crowned her career with bronze. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.

LUOL DENG – BASKETBALL SUPERSTAR
Competed for Croydon at the London Youth Games before going on to become one of the world’s premier basketball players and one of the biggest stars of the NBA. He is the captain of the iconic Chicago Bulls and the GB basketball team. He was patron of the 2009 London Youth Games and was inducted into the Hall of Fame the same year.

TIM DON - TRIATHLON HERO

Competed for Hounslow in the triathlon at the London Youth Games. He has gone on to be one of the UK’s foremost competitors in triathlon. He has competed in three Olympic triathlons and is the only man ever to win the World Triathlon, World Duathlon and World Aquathlon titles. He was inducted into the London Youth Games Hall of Fame in 2011.

MO FARAH – CHAMPION DISTANCE RUNNER
He represented Hounslow in athletics at the London Youth Games in his early years. He has won European gold on the track, cross country and indoors. In 2010, he was the first British athlete to win a 10,000m and 5000m gold at the European Championships. In 2011, he became the first man ever to win a global 10,000m title when winning gold at the World Championships. He also won 5000m silver at the same championships. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.

RIO FERDINAND - FOOTBALL ICON

He competed for Southwark in gymnastics at the London Youth Games in his early years. But it is in football, where he gone on to enjoy a successful career. To date, he had won nine major trophies, including five English Premiership titles. The highlight though was when he captained the Manchester United team that lifted the European Champions League title in 2008. He has played for England at two World Cup Finals and has captained his country on several occasions. He was inducted into the London Youth Games Hall of Fame in 2010.

DALTON GRANT - HIGH JUMP STAR

The high jumper represented Hackney in athletics at the London Youth Games. He enjoyed a 16 year career at international level which garnered five major championship medals including gold at the 1994 European Indoors and gold at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. He represented Great Britain at three Olympic Games. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.

MARK HUNTER - ROWING CHAMPION

Represented Havering at the London Youth Games, where he took part in some of his early rowing competitions. He has gone on to enjoy a stellar international career including winning 2008 Olympic gold and three successive World Championship gold medals in the lightweight double sculls with partner Zac Purchase. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

PAUL JOHNSON - SQUASH STAR

Competed for Greenwich in squash at the London Youth Games before going on to a high-class international career. He reached a career high of World no4 in the sport’s rankings and enjoyed notable success at the Commonwealth Games, the most prestigious competition in squash. He won doubles gold and singles bronze in 1998 and doubles bronze in 2002. He won seven European Team Championships with England. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.

DERVIS KONURALP –SWIMMING SUCCESS
Represented Hackney at the London Youth Games in the disability swimming class before going on to a successful international career in the pool.  He has competed at four Paralympic medals, twice winning medals. In Sydney 2000, he won bronze in the S13 (visually impaired) 50m freestyle and at Athens 2004, he won bronze in the S13 200m individual medley. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

AMANDA NEWTON - NETBALL LEGEND

She represented Newham in netball at the London Youth Games before going on to become one of the country’s greatest players. She represented England on more than 100 occasions, picking up Commonwealth Games and World Championship bronze medals in a high-class career. She was inducted into the London Youth Games Hall of Fame in 2010.

CHRISTINE OHURUOGU - OLYMPIC HERO

She represented Newham at the London Youth Games in both netball and athletics. She is one of the most successful British athletes of her generation, winning Commonwealth and World 400m gold before going on to win Olympic gold in Beijing in 2008. She was the patron of the London Youth Games in 2010 and was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2009.

DAVID WEIR - PARALYMPIC SUPERSTAR

Team GB’s most high profile Paralympic athlete began his athletics career at the London Youth Games, where he represented Sutton. He is one of the world’s premier wheelchair racers. He has won a total of six Paralympic medals including gold in the 800m and 1500m in Beijing 2008. He is also a prodigious marathon competitor and has won London five times and New York once. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.

BRADLEY WIGGINS – CYCLING CHAMPION
He represented Camden in cycling at the London Youth Games. In total, he has won six Olympic medals, including gold in the individual pursuit at the 2004 and 2008 Games and gold in the team pursuit in 2008. He has also won eleven medals at world cycling championships, including six gold. His fourth place finish at the 2009 Tour de France was the highest ever by a British rider.

RACHEL YANKEY - ENGLAND FOOTBALL LEGEND

Represented Brent in football at the London Youth Games before going on to become one of England’s most successful female football players. She has won every domestic honour in the game and was also part of the all-conquering 2007 Arsenal Ladies team. She played a key role as the team became the first English club ever to win the UEFA Women’s Cup.  She has won over 100 caps for England and has played - and scored – in three FIFA Women’s World Cup Finals tournaments. She was the patron of the 2011 London Youth Games and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in the same year.