Gold Medal Glory Comes Home: Commonwealth Games Champion Opens Revamped Basketball Court

Local hero Orlan Jackman brought some serious star power to Bank Holiday Monday as our community celebrated the grand opening of its newly refurbished basketball pitch!

The sparkling new court, funded through Birmingham City Council’s Commonwealth Games legacy programme, got the VIP treatment it deserved when our very own gold medallist Orlan Jackman cut the ribbon on what promises to be a game-changer for local sport.

The atmosphere was electric as eager young players immediately put the pristine facilities through their paces, with many getting their first taste of the sport on professional-standard courts right on their doorstep. 

But it wasn’t just about the basketball – residents queued up for selfies with Orlan, who was all smiles as he signed autographs and shared stories from his Commonwealth Games triumph. Families explored the impressive new facilities that have transformed what was once a tired old court into something truly special.

“This is exactly what Commonwealth Games legacy funding should achieve. Real facilities for real people in our own community. (Manjit Dehal, CEO)

The opening marks just the beginning of big plans for the site, with hopes already high for establishing regular coaching sessions and youth programmes. If the enthusiasm on display during Monday’s launch is anything to go by, Birmingham’s next generation of basketball stars might just be warming up on these very courts.

With a gold medallist as inspiration and facilities to match their ambitions, local young people now have everything they need to shoot for the stars – literally.