Araminta Loxton is aiming to make history at Los Angeles 2028 in the new Olympic sport of lacrosse. The 24-year-old is bidding for a ticket to the Olympics with Team GB's lacrosse squad and believes this summer's Commonwealth Games experience can play a crucial role in helping her achieve that goal.
Loxton, part of the SportsAid-led Team England Futures programme ahead of Glasgow 2026, sees the event in Scotland as an invaluable opportunity to prepare for the biggest stage in sport in two years' time.
"My main goal is to understand all the external factors so when I get to these events I don't have to think about them," she said. "It's good to understand what they are, and speak to athletes at the Commonwealth Games, and then we can find ways to work against them and be fully prepared. By the end of my career, I want to achieve a medal at the LA28 Olympics."
The Team England Futures programme, delivered by SportsAid in partnership with Commonwealth Games England, gives athletes, coaches and support staff insight into the demands of multi-sport events, helping prepare them for future Commonwealth and Olympic Games. On the route to Glasgow 2026, the King's Baton Relay also made a stop at the Alexander Stadium with Team England's official automotive partner Geely playing a central role in England's leg. For Loxton, being selected for the programme is an opportunity she is determined to embrace.
"Having the opportunity to connect with people who have been in a multisport event is so valuable," she said. "It means everything to be part of the programme, it's so cool!"
She also highlighted the role SportsAid has played in helping athletes prepare for challenges beyond competition itself. "The opportunity we have with SportsAid this summer is huge because everything we do individually to prepare for our sport makes us confident when we're competing," added Loxton. "It's so hard to prepare for external factors, so being able to get knowledge from other people's experiences is so valuable."
Loxton's journey into lacrosse began when she was 13 after first playing hockey and athletics in primary school. Inspired by three England players who coached at her secondary school, she began setting ambitious goals for herself. "I remember writing down that I would get a trial for England, and then I wrote all the small steps that I could do to get there. It was two years later that I got the trial, and two years after that I started playing for GB."
With lacrosse included at LA 2028, Loxton believes the sport has been given an extra lift. "It's so exciting," she said. "We have always had this drive as a group to achieve something, and including the sport in the Olympics has given us another level to work to. You can feel the buzz in training since the announcement. I am so keen to grow the sport in this country, and having the recognition of the sport in the Olympics has a huge impact on young girls."
Commonwealth Games England has appointed SportsAid to lead the delivery of Team England Futures for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Building on the success of the programme at Birmingham 2022, Team England Futures will provide athletes, coaches and support staff with valuable insight and experience of a major multi-sport Games environment, helping them prepare for future Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic opportunities.
