CMS Financial Management is helping to develop a sport made popular by the London Olympics by sponsoring Great Britain handball star Ciaran Williams.

The north Oxfordshire-based retirement planning and investment specialists will be meeting Ciaran’s travel costs in attending a training camp and a European Championship qualifier in Greece from October 31 to November 3.

The result could determine whether Britain’s growing number of handball players will be funded by UK Sport in their bid to qualify for Rio in 2016.

The 24-year old captained Britain to a first-ever victory in 2010 but was forced to give up the captaincy last year as part of a year-long injury battle.

Now the team’s playmaker, he has devoted the past six years to building up the sport nationally, culminating in Britain’s Olympic debut at London 2012.

Ciaran said: “I am delighted with CMS’s support. It is vital that we have the strongest possible team in Greece and that we perform as well as we can as we wait to hear in January whether British handball will be funded for Rio as it was for London.
“As there are only enough funds left for training camps and the sport is still an amateur one in this country, players have to meet their own travel costs.”

Ciaran, who was trained at Salford Handball Club, was the first Briton to play in the German league and is about to move to Norway to play professionally.

CMS Director David Carter, who is a cousin of the player, said: “Ciaran is a shining example of dedication, commitment and courage and we wish him well in his efforts to develop handball as a sport in this country.”

There are now three national amateur leagues and more than 65,000 regular players of handball across Britain.


(Caption)
Ciaran Williams in action with the Great Britain Handball Team