National Express has named a coach after Ashford-born sprinter Nick Leavey in honour of his impressive sporting achievements.
Nick, 25, is a rising UK talent, and recently earned a silver medal as part of the Great Britain 4x400m relay team at the European Indoor Championships in Paris. The coach dedication took place at Canterbury bus station on April 14, in the city where Nick attended school.
The dedicated coach, which will travel hundreds of miles between Salisbury, Heathrow and London every week, was unveiled by Nick, and carries his name at the entrance door and underneath the driver’s window.
National Express sponsors the Commonwealth Games England (CGE) team and has also provided 2010 CGE medallists with free coach travel to assist training for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Nick said: “The free travel will make a huge difference to me as a competing athlete both now and in the lead up to the Olympics in 2012 and the Commonwealth Games in 2014. I balance my time between Middlesex and Kent, so travel is a big part of my life. The easier it is, the better I can focus on training.
“Having the coach named after me is a great honour; it is such a visible way of showing support for athletes and the hard work we put in to win medals for our country. I’d like to sincerely thank National Express for their support.”
Danny Elford, Commercial Director of Kings Ferry, which is part of National Express Group, said: “We’re proud to support emerging British sports stars such as Nick by providing unlimited free coach travel to assist with their training and competitions.
“We are delighted to unveil this special design in recognition of Nick’s achievements. Hopefully it will raise awareness of the commitment and dedication these young people show to British sport.”
