Commonwealth champion Orlan Jackman is intent on giving every athlete that 'gold medal winning feeling' as Commonwealth Games England's new Board Apprentice.

The 35-year-old played a starring role in one of Team England’s biggest moments at Birmingham 2022, as the men’s 3x3 basketball team dramatically won gold with a last-second victory over Australia.

Jackman will now become a Board Apprentice in a year-long role which supports and develops the next generation of Team England Leaders with aims to identify and grow former athletes, coaches, support staff and volunteers who have the potential to become tomorrow’s Non-Executive Directors.

And the Birmingham 2022 champion is eager to help other athletes achieve their dreams of winning gold.

"Ultimately, I want to help athletes out as much as possible," he said.

"That’s my goal, I envision helping athletes from every sport to achieve their goals. 

"I have been on the journey, I went to the Commonwealth Games in Australia in 2018 in the Gold Coast and played terrible; I let myself down, I let my country down. 

"I had a chance of redemption in Birmingham and was able to win the gold medal. 

"I have felt the lows and the highs and I want to be able to help people get through that so everyone can have that feeling of winning a gold medal for your country, in your own country.

“My aim is to give people a voice that don’t have a voice.”

Jackman is currently a Commonwealth Games Legacy Project Officer at Basketball England and is passionate about ensuring athletes are represented at every level of sport.

He is joined on the Board by four-time Commonwealth Games medallist Kristian Thomas who will take up the role of Athlete Non-Executive Director and seasoned HR professional Liz Mulkerrin, who is Team England’s new Non-Executive Director - People.

“I’m grateful for the learning opportunity that Team England are giving me by creating this role,” added Jackman.

“As an athlete, I’ve proven I can execute under pressure and I think there are a lot of transferable skills from my playing career that I will be able to take into this role.

I have always been brought up to believe that the card you are dealt with is what you play. 

"Now, athletes can talk to me and I can raise issues at the board and change the cards that are dealt."

John Steele, Chairman of Commonwealth Games England, said: “We are delighted to welcome Liz, Orlan and Kristian to Team England. 

"We are also excited by our new Board Apprentice initiative which seeks to ensure that we play our part in developing former athletes to take up Board positions, whilst also helping us keep in touch with a new generation's views on sport. 

"The initiative will include apprentices attending and inputting at Board meetings, observing specialist committee meetings, mentoring and learning about the governance of Team England and the wider sporting system.

"Orlan’s enthusiasm is infectious, and he has real potential to be a successful sports leader of the future.”