London is about to unleash the next generation of athletes who are on track to break out of their borough and tear it up on the world stage, carrying on the city's proud tradition as a global capital of sport and culture.
In 2018, London is the melting pot for the world's most innovative and influential aspects of youth culture: music, sport and style. The city has brought grime to the world, birthed the hottest designers and trained world champions at the highest level of athletic competition.
In Nike's latest campaign – Nothing Beats a Londoner – the Swoosh are celebrating LDN's next generation of gamechangers and tastemakers. We spoke to four young stars of the campaign to explore the inspiration, attitudes and experiences of life in London.
Roxanne Fraser
Age: 14
Discipline: Amateur boxer and student
From: Highgate
Whereabouts in London do you live?
I live in North London, between Highgate and Camden – it’s a really cool area. I used to live really central, in Russell Square but we moved two years ago. I like that we have a big park across the road now, and the area is just so nice!
How long have you been boxing?
About a year now. My stepfather encouraged me to take it up and I’m glad he did. I wasn’t so sure about it in the beginning, but I started to like it at first for the fitness aspect of it and now I’m fully into it.
Were you playing sport before then?
I used to do gymnastics. I was doing ballet, which I’m still doing now which definitely impacts my boxing. It helps with my footwork, so I can float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!
What are some of your favourite memories from the last year and training to be a boxer?
My favourite memory by far is my first bout. That came pretty recently, and I loved it. It was such a great experience, with the adrenaline, the excitement and just everything about it! I was really nervous going in, but in the end, it paid off because it meant I had more energy. Even when I stepped into the ring, the nerves were still there! I haven’t had my second bout yet, but I’ve had skill bouts but they don’t have a winner or loser, so you don’t have as much pressure as an actual bout. I can’t wait to get back into the ring for my second bout.
Why do you think Nothing Beats a Londoner?
London is so diverse, and you have all these different talents, skills and cultures around, so its really nice to meet people who will be able to tell you different things, and then you go to another person and they’ll be able to tell you something else. So, you always gain an experience no matter what. That all definitely makes me proud to be a Londoner.
What does it mean to you to be involved in this campaign?
It’s a great and inspiring experience, and it makes me feel like I’m helping show that London is the place for opportunities. There are so many opportunities in London. In female boxing for example, in London we have these gatherings where there are just female boxers and its great to meet people like you and get great support and hear about opportunites. If I lived elsewhere, I don’t know if that would be the case.
Who is your boxing idol?
Nicola Adams! She was the first female boxer to win gold at the Olympics and it really showed that women have come a long way in the sport and what you we can achieve. She’s a great role model.
What are some of your hopes and dreams for the future?
Definitely the Olympics! And then moving into professional boxing. I also really want to inspire young people like myself and encourage more females to take up boxing.
Devante Davis
Age: 19
Discipline: Semi-pro athlete and influencer
From: Hornsey
What are some of your best memories of growing up in Hornsey?
Playing my first tournament at White Hart Lane, which was a Tottenham-sponsored event, so Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane did the presentation. I won the tournament’s top goalscorer and that was my first taste of football. I’ve always loved football from a young age but having the professionals come in and speak to us helped me move forward with it more.
Who were some of your favourite players growing up?
My favourite players of all time have to be the Brazilian Ronaldo, Ronaldinho...Thierry Henry was a big inspiration to me; I would always go and watch him play at Highbury. That’s the good thing about being from North London, having both Arsenal and Tottenham so close by.
What are some of your favourite memories of playing on the streets, or in ball courts?
Everyday after school, my mum would want me to change from my uniform and then me and my friends would always go to the park. We started that from young and that’s where the love for football was really built from. If I didn’t do that with my friends, I wouldn’t have met people who would then take me to football tournaments and teams.
What are some of your favourite things about London?
There’s everything here. You always meet new people and find new opportunities and it’s a nice place.
How would you describe London to someone who has never been?
It can be hectic but that’s a good thing!
What does it mean to you to be involved in this Nike campaign?
It’s a very big thing for me, because, growing up, I loved watching similar kinds of campaigns and I would get inspired by that sort of thing. To be part of this campaign is something I really appreciate.
Why does Nothing Beat a Londoner?
Because of how busy and hectic London can be, us Londoners have to work a lot harder and build a type of toughness that people from other areas wouldn’t necessarily have.
Leanne Cowan
Age: 21
Discipline: Athlete
From: Lewisham
What are some of your best memories of growing up?
Going to school in the morning and then coming back home, knocking for my friends. We used to have a green outside our block of flats, so whoever had a football, some people would bring jumpers and make them goal posts and we'd be playing football until I had to come in for dinner – and then I'd go back out after dinner and play football again. It was mainly football that me and my friends played.
Did you play any other sport?
Growing up, I played a lot of basketball as well and it got to the stage in secondary school where I had to choose between football and basketball, because I was training six days a week with two games on a Saturday. I’d play football, go home, have a shower then straight to basketball, I would play the whole game for both. It was just putting a bit of a strain on me, but I still shoot a bit. Real ballers don’t lose it!
Do you think playing football outside your block of flats and on the streets had a positive impact on growing up?
Yeah definitely, I learned things in ball cages and 5-a-side pitches that coaches can’t really teach you – things like anticipating the ball, creativity, learning different skills with my friends that they had seen their favourite players do – and coaches love players who are creative and daring to do stuff like that, and I think that’s where a lot of my footballing background comes from.
What do you think are some of the best things about London?
I think it’s a big cultural place, with lots of different cultures. Wherever you go, you’ll meet someone who is different or grew up somewhere else, so you learn something from everyone you meet, but it's different. You embrace so many different cultures.
How far do you want to take your career in football?
I just want to play at the highest level for as long as I possibly can. I’ve been playing for Millwall in the Super League 2 – and been here since I was eight. I want to play full time football and be at the stage where I wake up, say I’ve got to go work and then pick up my football boots and go to work. That’s always been the aim, and if international call ups come as well, that would be a bonus.
What does it mean to you to be involved in this Nike campaign?
To me, it’s really special, I can’t quite get my head around it, because I’m just a kid from south London and this is one of the biggest brands on the planet. I’ve always loved Nike as a kid, always had Nike football boots. If I have a day off, I’m wearing a Nike tracksuit at home, trainers, socks, everything. I’m kind of superstitious so I only wear Nike shin pads, sleeves and its part of my identity as a person. It's crazy but I’m very privileged and humbled by it all to be involved in this, because it’s a massive campaign.
Why do you think Nothing Beats a Londoner?
Nothing beats us because, in London, you come across obstacles in terms of growing up and what you go through but they also teach you to be street smart. I’ve been to Barcelona and Los Angeles on my own, walking around not feeling a way because I’m from London and nothing that happens there is different to what I’ve seen at home. I’ve always considered myself to be a cheeky person and I think I’ve learned that through being a Londoner.
If you had to describe London in five words, what would you use?
Busy. There’s always something going on in London. Vibrant, with all the different cultures. I’d say cheeky, because that’s part of who I am as well. Spontaneous; if you’re with the right crowd, you can always find something that’s going on. People on Twitter love it, where you go out to the pub for a cheeky bev with your mates and you get home at 6 in the morning. That happens a lot in London. And I would say classy as well, because you’ve got the West End and the show business side. London is so big, so you see where we grew up in South East London and then you see things like Oxford Street, so there’s that balance between the two.
Adylle Allen
Age: 20
Discipline: Bodybuilder and entrepreneur
From: Leytonstone
What was it like growing up in East London?
It was quite a good childhood. I started boxing at the age of nine and took that to amateur level, before going into bodybuilding. Living in East London, having access to so many resources played a big part. It's definitely a place for a lot of opportunity.
What kind of memories do you have from playing those sports?
They made me more disciplined, with boxing especially, the way I conduct myself – I’m not a show off, I’m a more composed, down to earth person. So, doing those things definitely helped develop my character.
What does it mean to you to be involved in this Nike campaign?
It’s a big opportunity, and hopefully the start of something. I want to get into acting and modelling and this is a big insight into this world, and something I want to pursue more.
Is acting the end goal for you?
Yeah and hopefully some modelling as well.
What do you think are some of the best things about being from London?
It has to be the opportunities – there are loads of them in London. People say its overrated but when you compare it other cities, there are more opportunities and chances to make a difference, living in London, than anywhere else in England.
Why does Nothing Beat a Londoner?
Other than the location, I think we have very diverse personalities, and that's emphasised more so than anywhere else in the UK.
To find out more about the Nothing Beats a Londoner campaign and sign up to Beat This Week, visit Nike.com.
