Web alive for Kelly Holmes

Following yesterday’s (Tuesday 6 December, 2005) announcement by double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes that she was retiring from athletics, she has launched her own official new website with the help of two enterprising graduates at the University of Teesside.

The site – www.doublegold.co.uk – was created for the Olympic champion by Middlesbrough cousins Anthony Borsumato and Kevin Allinson. The pair graduated from Teesside University’s MSc Multimedia Applications degree and set-up their own web development company, 13 Strides, through a graduate business start-up scheme run by the University.

Anthony was a member of the GB Athletics squad for four years, but had to drop-out following an injury in the 2003 World Championships in Paris. He hit a hurdle and broke his ankle in five places.

But he made some very useful contacts in those years, meeting most of the country’s top athletes at various competitions around the world.

After his accident, he decided to follow in his cousin’s footsteps and enrolled on the postgraduate degree at Teesside University to pursue his second interest – the Internet and web design.

And now he and his cousin have combined their love of sport and the Internet by creating websites for athletes, the latest being the Kelly Holmes site which went live yesterday (6 December, 2005).

“It will give her the chance to keep in touch with her fans and let people know of her future plans,” said Anthony, who is getting quite a name for himself among sportsmen and women looking for their own websites.

“We have done a site for the International Association of Athletic Federations and are currently working with javelin-thrower Steve Backley on a new venture which we will be announcing in the New Year.”

Anthony, who met Tony Blair when the Prime Minister officially opened the University’s £6.5m Olympia centre of sporting excellence in March last year, said: “The University’s support for our business venture has been realy fantastic. We couldn’t have done it without them and the their business advice.”

NOTE: The name of the company taken from the 13 strides required between each hurdle in athletics.

If the media would like to contact Anthony and Kevin at the University of Teesside, where their company is based, ring 01642 384563 or email mail@13strides.com

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