A record 140 athletes are set to receive support to help them reach their sporting potential.
The GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) will support the athletes from Croydon in 2026 through its programme, which helps people overcome financial barriers by funding coaching, equipment, travel and competition fees.
Athletes also receive free access to GLL's network of sport and leisure centres, which operate under the Better brand.
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Cllr Robert Ward, Croydon’s cabinet member for parks and culture, said: "We are incredibly grateful to GLL for this funding. I look forward to seeing where their journeys take them and wish them every success in the future."
David Hughes, GLL’s partnership manager for Croydon, added: "Our GLL Sport Foundation remains central to our remit to widen and deepen opportunities available to talented young athletes and build a legacy through sport.
"Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and our own purposed business model we are delighted to announce a record 140 athletes in Croydon will benefit from the programme this year.
"I want to wish them every success and we look forward to seeing them in competition here and abroad in years to come."
This year’s GLL Sport Foundation awards ceremony took place on June 4 at Ashburton Hall in Croydon.
Athlete and wheelchair rugby player Ryan Raghoo, from New Addington, said: "Being supported will be a massive help. It will allow me to train three or four times a week for free and also hire badminton courts to practise agility and speed in my wheelchair.
"Having access to these facilities is a game-changer."
Another recipient, 22-year-old diver Desharne Bent-Ashmeil, is on a sporting scholarship in Tennessee, USA, and hopes to compete in the 2028 Olympics.
She said: "I've been selected for Team GB and GSF funding will help so much with the cost of flights when I come back to compete in the UK or internationally."
