17 May 2010

To celebrate its centenary and as part of its ongoing commitment to UK Athletics (UKA), Alfa Romeo UK has offered four World Class Performance Programme athletes the chance to drive away a brand new Alfa MiTo. Cars will be awarded to four athletes who, in the last year, have displayed the most ‘Passion, Performance and Pride’, the three core values at the sporting heart of the Alfa Romeo brand.

There are currently over 100 athletes benefiting from UKA’s World Class Performance Programme (WCPP). The initiative, which receives funding from UK Sport’s National Lottery, aims to help UK athletes achieve medals at major events across Paralympic and Olympic disciplines.

Alfa Romeo has been the ‘Official Car Supplier to UKA’ since 2006 and provides a fleet of vehicles to UKA coaches, staff and athletes, as well as a financial contribution to help support the UKA programme.

To date, Alfa Romeo has been incentivising and rewarding athletes for their performance at major championships, awarding cars to medalists at both the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. Current ambassadors include: Lisa Dobriskey, Phillips Idowu, Germaine Mason, Jenny Meadows, Kelly Sotherton and David Weir.

Brand Communications Manager at Alfa Romeo UK, Damien Dally comments, “As Alfa Romeo celebrates its 100-year anniversary, athletics continues to provide an ideal platform to communicate our core values of ‘Passion, Performance and Pride’. We hope this new scheme will motivate athletes, who have perhaps not yet reached their peak, but are on course to realise their Olympic dream, be it in 2012 or 2016 or beyond.”

Lisa Matthews, Commercial Manager at UK Athletics adds, “We are very grateful to Alfa Romeo for their ongoing commitment to UK Athletics. The opportunity to win a car is a terrific incentive to athletes, who despite their dedication and determination, are not always rewarded or recognised in the same way as other sports. We’ll be looking for athletes who not only continue to show commitment on the Performance Programme but who will also rise to the challenge as representatives of Alfa and UKA.”

Applications closed this weekend with dozens of athletes applying for the chance to drive an Alfa. Entries will be judged by representatives from Alfa Romeo and UKA Representatives. Athletes with the most compelling application will be presented with an Alfa MiTo later this month.