Commonwealth champions, Aimee Willmott and Ama Agbeze MBE, are set to become athlete representatives on the board of Commonwealth Games England as the team builds for a home Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022. 

Both athletes won gold for Team England at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games with Willmott swimming to victory in the women's 400m individual medley and Agbeze leading the netball team to their historic win over hosts Australia. 

With a combined six Commonwealth Games between them, their experience will help to advise Commonwealth Games England as they prepare to deliver a successful Team England at the next Games in 2022 as the host nation. 

The appointment means that there will be three athlete representatives on the board with para powerlifter, Ali Jawad, already in place having started in his role in July 2018, in addition to Denise Lewis OBE in her capacity as President.

Aimee Willmott from Middlesbrough was a Team England ambassador for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Having won two silver medals in Glasgow 2014, she was able to top the podium four years later in Australia. She said:

“I’m extremely honoured and excited that I’ve been accepted to the board of Commonwealth Games England. This is a really exciting opportunity for me. I’ve had such great success at the Commonwealth Games from the age of 17 up until the Gold Coast where I won gold in the pool on night one of the Games. 

“I’m just really looking forward to sharing my experiences with the rest of the board and hopefully we can produce great athletes in the next generation coming through.”

Ama Agbeze, from Birmingham, competed at her first Commonwealth Games in 2006 and is also a qualified lawyer. She said:

 "It feels great to be on the Commonwealth Games England board. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while and I guess the time is finally right. It’s great to be involved as for my sport, netball, it’s the only multi-sport event that we have in our calendar so it’s the pinnacle for us.

“Also, it’s great to be on the board because I’m part of the wider team, not just netball and trying to influence my own sphere, but supporting other sports too.”

 The appointment of Agbeze and Willmott achieves an equal gender split on the Commonwealth Games England board. 

 Commonwealth Games England Chairman, Ian Metcalfe, said:

“We are delighted to have Ama and Aimee, two outstanding Commonwealth gold medal winning athletes, and, equally important, exceptional people, joining our board at Commonwealth Games England. Their experience and knowledge of what it takes to perform at their best will provide invaluable insight through to Birmingham 2022 and beyond. 

“We are particularly pleased that as an athlete centric organisation, the appointment of Ama and Aimee further strengthens the depth of our board with three athlete representatives from different sports. These appointments also reinforce our commitment to diversity. I am honoured to welcome them both and look forward to building towards a home Games in Birmingham.”

Agbeze and Willmott will be appointed for a four year term and will attend their first board meeting in June 2020 as well as being members of the sports sub-committee.