"These sports bodies have delivered on our key objective of driving up participation," Robertson said.

"The £3.5 million of additional funding for these sports is so that they can continue this work, capitalise on the added interest that comes with hosting the Olympic Games and help create a real sporting legacy."

Sport England's chief executive, Jennie Price, added: "Cycling, running and netball are three success stories for community sport.

"They show how it can be done.

"We are recognising their success through this extra investment."


British Cycling gets the biggest share - £1,058,000 ($1.6 million/€1.2 million) - in extra National Lottery funding, with the target of recruiting another 12,000 weekly cyclists.

England Netball has successfully bid for more than £1 million ($1.5 million/€1.2 million) in additional Lottery investment to extend its popular Back to Netball programme and improve the way it recruits women to play the sport and keeps them involved.

As a result of the extra funding, England Netball aims to increase the number of adults playing the sport every week by 8,500.

And an extra Lottery investment of £1 million ($1.5 million/€1.2 million) will seek to increase the number of people involved in regular informal running by at least 30,000.

Sport England will invest the funding in county sports partnerships, who will work with England Athletics to boost the number of trained running leaders and local running groups across the country.

A total of £3.5 million ($5.4 million/€4.1 million) has been awarded to help drive up participation numbers in netball, cycling, running, canoeing and lacrosse.

Canoe England will receive an extra £207,700 ($319,567/€242,445) through the British Canoe Union, for Go Canoeing, a new project to boost the informal canoeing market.

The English Lacrosse Association will receive an additional £199,250 ($306,566/€232,581).

Olympic cycling champion Ed Clancy welcomed the news.

"I am delighted that British Cycling has been granted additional funding to develop its participation programmes," he said.

"London 2012 is not only about athletes contesting Olympic and Paralympic medals, it is also about getting the nation active and leaving a lasting sport legacy for future generations.

"We have been particularly successful in getting people on their bikes through programmes like Sky Ride, Breeze, Go-Ride and our growing events calendar.

"I would love to see even more people get inspired by the Games to take up cycling as their new sport."

Cycling's governing body believes there is an enormous potential growth area in terms of road and mountain bikers.

England Netball's chief executive, Paul Clark, said: "We are absolutely delighted to receive this additional funding.

"The Back to Netball initiative has encouraged women aged 16 plus from a variety of economic, social and ethnic backgrounds to get back in to sport using netball as a gentle introduction."


Speaking on behalf of canoeing, Olympic gold medal-winning kayaker, Tim Brabants (pictured), said: "This additional investment demonstrates the confidence and health of canoeing in this country.

"The funding will help us continue to grow the sport and get more people enjoying canoeing on a regular basis, with the many positive benefits that brings."

English Lacrosse Association chief executive, David Shuttleworth, said: "The additional investment in the INTO lacrosse programme over the next 18 months will develop social and recreational lacrosse in schools, universities and community clubs."

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