British Gas signs 15m swimming sponsorship

British Gas has signed a £15m deal to sponsor British Swimming as the sport’s governing body looks to build on swimming’s growing popularity in the wake of British gold medal success at last year’s Olympics.

The energy supplier has agreed a six-year partnership with British Swimming which will take the sponsorship up to and beyond the London 2012 Games.

The agreement is aimed at building on the British success at last year’s Beijing Olympics, which saw Rebecca Adlington win two gold medals.

The £15m will be invested in every level of the sport, from those learning to swim to Olympic contenders and is also to support related sports including water polo and diving.

British Gas will work with British Swimming on community projects aimed at stopping the closure of local pools. It also says it will support schemes such as Learn to Swim and Swimfit to increase kid’s participation in swimming and help fitness in addition to supporting potential Olympic medallists.

The sponsorship also includes the three Home Country Associations of the ASA, Swim Wales and Scottish swimming and provide British Gas with the title sponsorship of all British aquatic teams as well as national events across all disciplines.

Adlington (pictured), who became the first British woman to win an Olympic swimming gold since 1960 in Beijing last year, was named one of the faces of swimwear brand Speedo in January.