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Building up for Olympic shot

6/ 3/2008

A FORMER Salford brickie is building a new sporting career that could see him representing Great Britain at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Stuart Campbell was an academy rugby league player at The Willows and spent nearly a decade playing union with Sedgley Park.

However, in four years time, Worsley-based Campbell could be a cornerstone of Britain’s Olympic handball squad.

The 25-year-old is among the first intake accepted on to the Sporting Giants programme, launched by five times Olympic rowing gold medallist, Sir Steve Redgrave.

Campbell joined 3,854 initial applicants for sport-specific testing providing they were over 6ft 4ins (men) and 5ft 9ins (women), aged between 16-25 and had good, all-round athletic ability.

Now, after rigorous trials, 52 have been selected to continue with their sporting development.

"I was literally ankle deep in concrete, covered in crap when my dad, Dave, rang to tell me about the scheme," said the former Ambrose Barlow High School pupil.

"I enjoyed rugby union but I wasn’t really getting anywhere at Sedgley Park."

"I had been at Salford’s Academy when I was younger. I would loved to have stayed and played league. But the set-up at Salford wasn’t as organised as it is now.

"I’m a personal trainer by trade but was between jobs and working as a brickie. When my dad rang I just thought I hadn’t got anything to lose.

"They looked at me as a rower at first but then decided to try me out as a handball player.

"My knowledge of the sport was non existent other than what I’d seen on Eurosport.

"But it was fast and exciting and I had nothing to lose."

Eventually, after months of testing, Campbell, proud owner of the Salford Schools’ long jump record, was told the good news.

"They called us in one by one. It was an amazing feeling when I found out I’d been accepted."

Due to a lack of top class handball clubs in the UK, Campbell has been drafted by a Danish third division side.

"The set-up is just like the Football League over here with promotion and relegation," he said.

"But if I’m to make the Olympics I need to play elite level in somewhere like Germany or Spain."

Despite acceptance on the Sporting Giants programme, there are no guarantees he’ll appear in the 2012 Games.

"I’m on a six months contract at the moment but I prefer it that way. It keeps you on your toes, knowing you have to perform," Campbell admits.

"They’re looking out for new people all the time so if you’re not up to it, they’ll find someone else who is."

Bill Baillie, performance coach of the GB talent programme, says: "Stuart had three things that make him what he is - drive, desire and confidence.

"This, coupled with his potential talent and coaching, will help make the path to his goals much easier."