Machine-translated from Faroese and not yet reviewed. Read the original.
This afternoon there was a press conference at the ÍSF building, where many people had gathered to hear how the Úrval funding would be distributed in 2018.
In total, DKK 2.2 million was applied for, but only one million was available to allocate. The bar for Úrval is fairly high, and many of our very best athletes have applied for funding.
Frælsur Ítróttur Føroya had three applications this time. Unfortunately, we did not manage to secure funding for Rebekka Fuglø, who won gold in the 800 metres in Gotland this summer. On the other hand, we did secure funding for Tórur Mortensen, who receives DKK 80,000. Tórur also received funding in 2017. For both of them we applied under Group II, where the requirement is to be in the top 3 at the NUM or the top 5 at the NM. Here Tórur can point to his bronze from the NM U20 in Iceland.
Once again this year Tórur Mortensen received funding from Group II
FÍF has many exciting young athletes, and we were keen to apply under Group III. This group provides funding for young athletes who have shown talent and ambition, are able to meet long-term goals, compete regularly at a high level, etc.
Several of our young athletes meet these requirements. The board found it very hard to pick one over another, and therefore thought it a very good idea to apply on behalf of a group of young athletes. And as we now, for the first time ever, have a good group of young female throwers, the choice fell on them. Among other things, the application stated:
In the entire history of the Island Games, only two women have represented the Faroe Islands in throwing events outside the Faroe Islands, and by the next Games it will be 10 years since we were last represented. Not a single thrower represented the Faroe Islands at the last Island Games in Gotland – that was the sad reality.
But the good news is that in recent years we have gained a number of girls who have shown very good talent for throwing. And still others have joined them. This means that today we have the possibility that six or seven young women could qualify for the next Island Games. All four throwing events are covered.
To help make this happen, and to continue building up throwing in the Faroe Islands, we think one option could be for FÍF to apply for these girls to be included in Group III of Úrval.
Like so many other young athletes, most of them also take part in other sports, and they are approaching the critical years when they must choose one particular sport. They are of course also approaching the critical years when young people often give up their sport. Individual sport can be lonely, and partly for that reason we think it could encourage and motivate them to have this in common. This could be a step up for all of them and for future national teams.
Tórur together with some of the girls in the throwing group. From left: Helena, Lydia, Elin, Guðrið, Sunniva and Tórur. In addition to these five girls, Óluva A. Joensen from Treysti and Kristianna Skarpheðinsdóttir Joensen from Bragdið are also part of the group.
22 applications were received. There were no applications for funding from Group I. 9 applications were approved from Group II, six of them from swimmers. The others were Torkil Veyhe (cycling), the U21 national handball team, which went to the World Championships, and then our own Tórur.
From Group III, DKK 50,000 was granted to a youth group of 15 swimmers and DKK 50,000 to the girls’ throwing group.
The rules for Úrval can be read HERE
The Minister of Education and Culture, representatives of Úrval and several of the funding recipients.
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