Original Summary

Rory Macnair / Canada-based Angelica Tait is a recent recruit to the Great Britain team British sprinter Amy Hunt knows all about the "magic of the Olympics". Now Olympic hopefuls have another avenue to join the 2024 medallist at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. Flag football, a condensed, non-contact version of American football, is one of the world's fastest growing sports and will make its Olympic debut at LA28. Great Britain hope to qualify and in a bid to boost their chances, they are looking to identify male and female athletes from other sports who have the potential to convert. Cross-sport athletes are also being considered for a new professional flag football league, backed by the NFL and the likes of Tiger Woods and Serena Williams. "Everyone wants to go to the Olympics so I can see why people are moving sport to get there," Hunt told BBC Sport at Sunday's NFL game in London. "[LA28] is two years away so this is your last chance to really get sorted with a new sport and find your way in. "I would really encourage it because the Olympics is unlike anything else, and flag football's going to have a massive profile at LA." What is GB's flag football pedigree? The GB women's team is already one of the best in the world. They won the European Championships in 2023 and 2025 and went into this summer's World Championships ranked third. The USA qualify for LA28 as hosts but two other Olympic spots were available at the Worlds and GB narrowly missed out, losing 20-19 to Mexico in the bronze-medal game. Grace Conway is a long-term member of the GB team. She used to play netball but was introduced to flag football at school when she was 14 and ended up choosing to focus on flag. Netball is not an Olympic sport but now Conway, 27, has the chance to become an Olympian through flag football. "I think it's every athlete's dream to play their sport at the highest level, and what's higher than the Olympics?" asked Conway. "We never thought [flag football becoming an Olympic sport] could be possible. I remember looking up other sports and whether I could transfer, so when the announcement came it was amazing. Now I hope that we can get there." Do you have what it takes to make an Olympic team? What kind of athletes are wanted? Flag football is now played by 20 million people in more than 100 countries and the rapid growth of the women's game was key to it becoming one of five optional sports for LA28. The sport has been backed heavily by the NFL, which aims to help it earn selection for Brisbane 2032 too. The decision is due before the end of 2026 so flag football could head into its Olympic debut knowing it will feature in back-to-back Games. Participation has boomed in Australia and scores of athletes are switching from Australian rules football, netball and rugby, while the American team has recruited basketball players. GB's Brittany Botterill (football/softball), Phoebe Schecter (equestrian), Marta Mathews (football), Jochebed Frimpong (athletics), Jess Allen (badminton) and Angelica Tait (athletics/snowboarding) all competed in other sports before playing flag football. US-born Emily Kemp even became an ultimate frisbee world champion last year, in the same summer she helped GB win the flag Euros. "We are an elite team already, we're a potential medal threat at LA28, but we're really aspirational so we're looking to widen our talent pool," said Chad Ehlertsen, chief executive of the British American Football Association (Bafa). "If you look at the top flag players around the world, they've generally come from certain sports. They have good hand-eye coordination, agility, speed, decision-making under pressure. These are the qualities we're looking for. "In many ways we're not looking for elite flag players, we're looking for elite athletes that have the potential [to transfer] and then our coaches will help them understand the game." Rory Macnair / Grace Conway works as a recruitment consultant but could soon become a pro flag football player McIlroy and Brady among pro league backers The NFL announced in March that it would launch a professional flag football league for women and men, in partnership with TMRW Sports. Pronounced 'tomorrow', the company was co-founded by Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods and its first major venture was the TGL (TMRW golf league). Investors in the new league include NFL legends Tom Brady and Joe Montana, plus Billie Jean King, Serena Williams and Alex Morgan. The league's first season could begin next summer and its first 'talent qualifier' was held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday, with GB players among the 57 international hopefuls showcasing their skills. "We're casting a wide net," said Champ Kelly, TMRW's senior vice president of flag football operations. "We want flag football's elite, and we want the cross-sport athlete who doesn't even know yet that flag is their sport." Some of those selected will feature in a Pro Flag Showcase during Super Bowl week in February while an increasing number of flag football scholarships are being made available at US colleges. "We're a part of history," added Australia's Kodie Fuller. "We couldn't ever have imagined this but every day there's something new happening in flag football that blows my mind." TMRW Sports / GB's Emily Kemp was the Most Valuable Player at the 2025 Euros and was invited to TMRW's first 'talent qualifier' When are the GB trials? GB are starting their next training cycle building up to the 2027 European Championships, before the final LA28 spots are available in June 2028. The women's programme is holding trials at Loughborough College this Saturday and Sunday, where athletes will be assessed across a range of performance pillars. About 70 people have already registered and current GB player Conway welcomes the competition. "That's top-level sport, you're always fighting for your spot," she said. "I just think having more people raises the competitiveness and ultimately the level. "There's no exp

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  • 信息来源：英语新闻 / BBC News Top Stories
  • 发布时间：2026/10/7 16:35:37