Tokyo 2020: Seven Olympic and Paralympic sports to receive funding boost

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, World number one foil fencer Richard Kruse will receive more funds through the medal support plan

Seven Olympic and Paralympic sports are set to receive more money from UK Sport to support their aims for Tokyo 2020.

Basketball, sitting volleyball, baseball and wrestling will get funding from the government-backed Aspiration Fund, having missed out when the first investments were announced in December.

Boccia, fencing and wheelchair fencing will get more investment as part of UK Sport's annual review process.

Fencing will receive up to 拢87,000 for Olympic foil fencer Richard Kruse.

The 35-year-old became Britain's first-ever world number one in the sport after winning gold at the Tokyo World Cup last month.

Wheelchair Fencing will also receive 拢12,572 for training and competition costs of an additional two male fencers, while boccia will get up to 拢53,280 to assist training and competition.

The 拢3 million Aspiration Fund was announced in October and aims to support those sports which do not receive full UK Sport funding.

UK Sport announced 14 Olympic and Paralympic sports would receive investment in December but has now secured additional resources.

It will allocate a further 拢75,000 for basketball, 拢11,000 for sitting volleyball, 拢30,500 for baseball and up to 拢41,600 for wrestling.

Great Britain won 67 medals, including 27 golds, at the 2016 Olympics and 147 medals, including 64 golds, at the 2016 Paralympics.