TRACK TO TOKYO 東京へのトラック
UK SPORT CHAIRWOMAN: Dame Katherine Grainger NATIONAL LOTTERY PROMOTIONS UNIT PRESS OFFICE: Elle Rigby Elle.Rigby@ lotterygoodcauses. org.uk 0207 211 3927 UK SPORT PRESS OFFICE: Rob Arnott Rob.Arnott@uksport. gov.uk 0207 211 5120
TRANSFORMATIONAL Foreword by UK Sport Chairwoman Katherine Grainger Back at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics, just
Targeted investment has helped
before I started my own rowing career,
our Olympic and Paralympic teams
Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent
consistently rise up the medal table
claimed Britain’s only gold medal as
at consecutive Games, culminating
Team GB finished 36th on the medal
in a remarkable 2nd place at Rio 2016.
table. Denise Lewis was our only female
We owe a huge debt of gratitude to every National Lottery player for making our Olympic and Paralympic athletes’ dreams come true and long may this continue.
Olympic medallist. The advent of the National Lottery 25 years ago proved to be a fundamental turning point in our fortunes, and I remember feeling something truly special had arrived for every athlete.
take as many people as possible along on that journey.
Our athletes have fantastic stories to tell off the field of play as well as on, and we The National Lottery has
want to get the whole nation behind them,
been transformational
being inspired by their extraordinary
for British sport; Great
endeavours but also relating to the very
Britain and Northern
normal challenges they face day to day.
Ireland is now a world leader in Olympic and Paralympic sport.
As part of the Track To Tokyo, we have provided a snapshot of some of the athletes that could really light up the Games in Japan.
It is National Lottery players who Sport is great at looking to the future and there is a whole new generation of National Lottery funded athletes with their eyes focused firmly on the Tokyo 2021 Olympics and Paralympics.
While the pinnacle will be their phenomenal performances in Tokyo, our athletes go on an incredible journey to get there, and we’d love your help to
are fuelling this incredible story, so we’d also love your help in thanking them for being part of the team.
TRACK TO TOKYO
Ones to watch:
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Maisie Summers-Newton
Lauren Williams
Kye Whyte
Para Swimming
Taekwondo
BMX
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18
20
Hannah Mills &
Ros Canter
Jamie Cooke
Eilidh McIntyre
Equestrian
Modern Pentathlon
Sailing
No one supports our #TNLAthletes more than National Lottery Players who raise around ÂŁ30 million each week for good causes 6
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22
26
24
Freya Anderson
Dimitri Coutya
Courtney Tulloch
Swimming
Wheelchair Fencing
Gymnastics
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30
32
Elliot Stewart
Lauren Price
Ben Llewellin
VI Judo
Boxing
Shooting
National Lottery players fund over 1,100 athletes on UK Sport’s World Class Programme, allowing them to train full time and have access to world class coaching and medical support 7
34 Mallory Franklin
Grace Reid
Charlotte Henshaw
Canoeing
Diving
Para Canoeing
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Jess Learmonth
Sabrina Fortune
Ali Jawad
Triathlon
Para Athletics
Powerlifting
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8
38
36
48
50
Ellen Buttrick
Nekoda Smythe-Davis
Jordan Thomas
Para Rowing
Judo
Karate
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ABOUT THE NATIONAL LOTTERY The National Lottery has one aim: to change the UK for the better. We’re powered by our players, who raise around £30 million each week for good causes. Since 1994, over £41 billion has gone into funding over 565,000 projects across the UK. They help your local communities; preserve heritage for future generations; help the young and old get more active; fill our theatres, cinemas and festivals with world class culture; and help athletes like some of the ones featured in this magazine achieve their dreams and fulfill their potential. Without the players, none of this would be possible. The National Lottery Promotions Unit and UK Sport have created this magazine to showcase some of the stories of our National Lottery funded athletes who are medal hopefuls for 2021. These athletes are available for interviews and press opportunities. To arrange one, please contact The National Lottery Promotions Unit Media and Communications Team on 0207 211 3927 or email us at pressoffice@lotterygoodcauses.org.uk
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MAISIE SUMMERS-NEWTON - IMAGE CREDIT: BRITISH SWIMMING
A-LEVELS AND GOLD MEDALS 10
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MAISIE SUMMERSNEWTON Sport: Para Swimming
A rising star in the world of swimming, Maisie Summers-Newton burst onto the scene in 2018 as a 15-year-old. Unlike the majority of teenagers, she’s been mixing studying for her GCSEs and A-levels with picking up gold medals and world records at the Para Swimming European and World Championships. At the time of writing, the para swimmer from Northampton is the world record holder in the SB6 100m Breaststroke and SM6 100m Individual Medley. She was also named as British Swimming’s Emerging Athlete of the Year in 2017. Maisie was born with achondroplasia which is a condition that affects how bone develops. Despite this, Maisie has gone on to break records, win medals and prove an inspiration to so many. Maisie started swimming after watching Ellie Simmonds compete at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Just six years later, Maisie raced alongside, and beat, Ellie on the way to picking up a gold medal at the Para Swimming European Championships. Towards the end of 2018, Maisie was also named in both the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year and 2018 British Swimming Para Swimmer of the Year shortlists.
MAJOR HONOURS 2019 Para Swimming World GOLD Championships, SM6 200m Individual Medley 2019 Para Swimming World GOLD Championships, SB6 100m Breaststroke 2018 European GOLD Championships, Breaststroke SB6 2018 European Championships, GOLD 4x100m Medley Relay 34 points 2018 European Championships, BRONZE 400m SB6 Freestyle
INTERESTS: Shoes and clothes (she confesses to owning a lot of shoes) Books Watching films with family and friends 11
LAUREN WILLIAMS
THIS YOUNG TAEKWONDO STAR IS IN WITH A FIGHTING CHANCE OF RETURNING FROM TOKYO WITH A MEDAL 12
TRACK TO TOKYO
LAUREN WILLIAMS Sport: Taekwondo
Lauren Williams has been turning heads in the taekwondo world since she was a teenager. Winning her first international gold as a 15-yearold, Lauren has gone from strength to strength, with a medal collection of championship event wins that most would be jealous of… and she’s only just turned 20! Lauren, who hails from Blackwood near Caerphilly, was first discovered through UK Sport and GB Taekwondo’s ‘Fighting Chance’ programme, a talent search scheme designed to find future Olympians to represent Great Britain. Having previously been a kickboxer, Lauren was motivated to make the switch to the Korean marital art of taekwondo after watching Jade Jones become an Olympic champion at London 2012. Lauren has also dabbled in other sports such as swimming, football and rugby but it is with taekwondo where her talent undoubtedly lies. Ambition is something that Lauren isn’t lacking. Despite already being a two-time European Champion, she aims to become a World and Olympic gold medallist in the near future. Outside of the sport, Lauren loves nothing more than relaxing with family and going to the gym with friends and teammates. Her Instagram and YouTube channels give an amazing insight into her dedication for her sport and the love she has for family and friends.
MAJOR HONOURS GOLD
2019 President’s Cup, -67kg
GOLD
2018 Grand Slam, 67 kg
2018 European GOLD Championships, 67 kg 2016 European GOLD Championships, 67 kg 2016 World Junior GOLD Championships, 68 kg 2014 World Junior GOLD Championships, 59kg
INTERESTS: Baking Football Her pet dog COVID-19: During lockdown, Lauren has been vlogging her training at home: https://www.facebook. com/laurentaekwondo/ 13
KYE WHYTE - IMAGE CREDIT: SAMUEL HICKS - WWW.SAMUELHICKS.COM
THE BMX CHAMP AIMING FOR OLYMPIC GLORY IN TOKYO
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KYE WHYTE Sport: BMX
The 20-year-old from Peckham, South London, got into cycling as a way of getting away from crime and drugs which are prevalent in his area. The road to Tokyo hasn’t been straightforward for Kye. He started riding at just four-years-old and quickly won 10 consecutive junior British titles. It was at 13, however, that the first big test came. Unfortunately, Kye had an accident which would rule him out of competition for 10 months and result in him losing his place in the GB squad. Thankfully, he overcame this setback to reclaim his spot and hasn’t looked back since. 2018 was a breakthrough year for Kye in which he won a silver medal at the European Championships. In 2019, he went one better and won the gold medal at the World Cup in Manchester. This was a popular victory for the home crowd, and also boosted his world ranking into the top 10. Kye’s older brother, Tre Whyte, is also part of British Cycling’s BMX set up and in 2014, Tre was the world number three. Growing up as part of a close-knit family, Kye and Tre have always shared a healthy rivalry and helped to push each other in a positive way. A long-term goal of Kye’s is to race at the Olympics and win a gold medal, something which he is on track to do at Tokyo.
MAJOR HONOURS 2019 UCI BMX GOLD Supercross World Cup 2018 SILVER European BMX Championships
INTERESTS: Gaming Arsenal FC
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HANNAH MILLS (RIGHT) & EILIDH MCINTYRE (LEFT) - IMAGE CREDIT: LLOYD IMAGES/RYA
HANNAH AND EILIDH ARE TWO SAILORS MOTIVATED BY PERSONAL REASONS TO BE THE BEST 16
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HANNAH MILLS & EILIDH MCINTYRE Sport: Sailing
For Hannah, the goal is simply to become the “most successful female Olympic sailor of all time”. She’s already on the right track after winning silver at the London 2012 Games and then gold in Rio four years later. For Eilidh, the goals are similar. A medal for the young sailor from Hayling Island in Hampshire would help to keep up her family’s proud traditions in yacht racing at the highest level, after her dad won Olympic gold in Seoul in 1988.
MAJOR HONOURS GOLD
2019 470 World Championships
SILVER
2017 470 World Championships
BRONZE
2018 470 World Championships
Both Hannah and Eilidh grew up in the sport and on the water. Hannah started sailing in the Welsh capital, Cardiff, at just eight-years-old. Eilidh, however, started even earlier. She first took to the water at the tender age of eight-months, accompanied by her dad, Mike. Despite the pair’s relatively new partnership they are already off to a great start, winning the World Cup Series final in their first outing together and they haven’t stopped winning medals since. Tokyo will be Eilidh’s first Olympic Games, 32 years after had dad won gold for GB, whilst Hannah will be aiming to defend her title from Rio 2016.
INTERESTS: Environmental issues Fighting plastic pollution
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ROS CANTER
ROS HOPES TO CANTER ALLSTAR ALL THE WAY TO TOKYO GOLD 18
TRACK TO TOKYO
ROS CANTER Sport: Equestrian
Hailing from Hallington in Lincolnshire, Ros and her horse Allstar B are looking to add to their two World Championship medals with an Olympic version in 2021. Ros competes in eventing and she is currently the World Champion after picking up a superb gold at the 2018 event. She was also part of the GB team that won gold in Team Eventing at the same championships. Growing up on her family farm, Ros was used to riding from a young age. It was after graduating from Sheffield Hallam University and during a short period travelling the world that Ros decided to make eventing a full-time career. Ros was fully supported by her parents throughout her career and has often said her mum’s business helps provide great facilities. Ros and Allstar B have represented GB at international level since 2015. In 2016, Ros was selected as part of Team GB’s ambition programme which took young athletes aiming for the now postponed Tokyo 2020 to the Rio Olympics to experience the environment. Outside of sport, Ros loves playing hockey and netball. 2019 was a very special year for Ros and her partner Chris as they welcomed their first baby, Ziggy Grace, to the world.
MAJOR HONOURS 2018 World Championships, GOLD Individual Eventing 2018 World GOLD Championships, Team Eventing 2017 European GOLD Championships, Team Eventing
INTERESTS: Hockey Netball Diving
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JAMIE COOKE
THE SECOND EVER MALE BRITISH WORLD MODERN PENTATHLON CHAMPION 20
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JAMIE COOKE Sport: Modern Pentathlon
Modern pentathlon is a relatively unknown sport that consists of five events: fencing, freestyle swimming, equestrian showjumping, pistol shooting and cross country running.
MAJOR HONOURS 2019 European GOLD Championships, Individual
In Jamie Cooke, British Olympic fans will have a World Champion and former world number 1 flying the flag for them.
2019 European GOLD Championships, Team
Jamie hails from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, and dedicated himself to the sport after a former coach encouraged him to take it up. Since then, Jamie has won the Junior World Championships and competed at the 2016 Rio Games, numerous European Championships and a few World Cups.
2018 World GOLD Championships, Individual
Despite the achievement of competing in Rio, 2018 turned out to be the real breakout year for Jamie. Competing in the World Championships in Mexico, he pulled off a stunning and memorable sprint finish to win a gold medal. The win saw him become the first British male modern pentathlon World Champion in 25 years. The manner of the win showed Jamie’s determination, passion and desire to win. Jamie’s achievements are even more remarkable when he mentions that he has suffered from non positional vertigo, which affects balance. The condition saw him pulled from a major european final last year. Jamie has now set his eyes on Tokyo and is already in training.
2018 World SILVER Championships, Team BRONZE
2013 European Championships, Team
INTERESTS: Surfing Cooking Travelling in his campervan
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FREYA ANDERSON Sport: Swimming
AN ATHLETE WITH THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME BRITISH SWIMMING’S NEXT GOLDEN GIRL INTERESTS: Travelling Environmental issues 22
MAJOR HONOURS BRONZE
GOLD
GOLD
2019 World Championships, 4x100m mixed medley
2019 European Championships (Short Course) 100m freestyle
2019 European Championships (Short Course) 200m freestyle
GOLD
GOLD
2018 European 2018 European Championships, Championships, 4x200m 4x100m mixed freestyle medley
For someone who’s just 19, Freya Anderson is already used to winning medals on the international stage. The swimmer from Merseyside has now won medals at the 2019 World and European Championships and the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Freya initially got into swimming as her parents thought it would be a good life skill. She now admits that swimming has helped in all aspects of her life, including improving her self confidence and shyness. Growing to love the sport, Freya idolised Rebecca Adlington growing up and even dedicated school projects to the London 2012 medallist. While possessing an abundance of natural ability, Freya also credits much of her success to the fact that she hates losing. In 2021, Freya will hopefully make her debut at the Tokyo Olympic Games and hopes to add more medals to her growing haul. Her aim is to win medals in the 100m and 200m Freestyle, becoming a double Olympic medallist in the process. Outside of the pool, Freya is already helping to inspire the next generation. In her spare time, she supports children’s swimming galas and events.
DIMITRI COUTYA
FULFILLING A LIFE LONG AMBITION TO MAKE SOMETHING OF HIMSELF 24
TRACK TO TOKYO
DIMITRI COUTYA Sport: Wheelchair Fencing
Dimitri is first to admit that he’s had an interesting life so far… At just two-years-old, the Londoner was hit by a car which caused a T-4 level spinal injury. The injury meant that Dimitri immediately lost all movement in his body, below chest level. But this has never stopped him pursuing his passions. He first began to play sport at just eightyears-old, starting with wheelchair basketball. It was later, when given the chance to take up wheelchair fencing at school, that he found an event he truly loved. Early success came in 2014, when Dimitri became a triple World Champion aged just 17. Dimitri competed for ParalympicsGB in Rio but fell just short of a medal, eventually getting knocked out at the quarter-final stage. Dimitri has since admitted that he made some small mistakes which you can’t afford to do at international level. Dimitri has since gone on to win over 30 medals for Great Britain, including an epee gold at the 2019 World Championships and 2018 European Championships. One of the main motivations behind Dimitri’s recent success is the desire to make something of himself despite the trials he has faced in life. The other motivation is his family and friends, who have supported him throughout his career so far.
MAJOR HONOURS 2019 World
GOLD Championships, Individual Epee
SILVER
2019 World Championships, Individual Foil 2018 European
GOLD Championships, Individual Epee 2018 European BRONZE Championships,. Individual Foil 2017 World
GOLD Championships, Individual Epee
INTERESTS: Travelling Basketball
Following on from his debut games at Rio, Dimitri’s goal is now Tokyo 2021 where he promises he will be stronger than ever. 25
COURTNEY TULLOCH Sport: Gymnastics
Courtney Tulloch is aiming to follow in the footsteps of other household names in the world of gymnastics. Courtney specialises in the men’s apparatus and excels on the rings, which are two circular hoops hung above the ground and is one of six gymnastics disciplines that are used in the Olympics.
The 24-year-old from Lewisham, London, is a rising star and a member of the British gymnastics team that won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. He also picked up an individual gold medal on the rings and silver medal on the vault. Courtney’s success started before the Commonwealth Games and he has also won silver at both the 2016 and 2017 European Championships. Outside of competition, Courtney is a KinderGym coach at Pegasus Gymnastics, which is the centre he trains at. KinderGym is a programme of gymnastics and movement activities for children of all abilities up to school age.
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THE KINDERGYM INSTRUCTOR AIMING TO BECOME THE NEXT BIG THING IN BRITISH GYMNASTICS
MAJOR HONOURS GOLD
GOLD
SILVER
SILVER
BRONZE
2018 2018 2018 2018 European 2018 European Commonwealth Commonwealth Commonwealth Championships, Championships, Games, Ringss Games, Team Games, Vault Team Rings
INTERESTS: Manchester United
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ELLIOT STEWART
DESPITE A LIFE CHANGING IMPAIRMENT, ELLIOT IS DETERMINED TO KEEP GOING AND COMPETE IN TOKYO
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ELLIOT STEWART Sport: VI Judo
Elliot Stewart had a wife and three kids when he started to lose his sight at the age of 28. “At first I thought it was because I was getting older,” he told BBC Sport. “But then three months later, the amount of vision I’d lost was quite a lot.” Elliot had been teaching judo in schools but had to quit his job because he couldn’t drive anymore.
MAJOR HONOURS 2019 IBSA European BRONZE Championships, -90kg 2018 IBSA World BRONZE Championships, -90kg
Thankfully, his family rallied round him and Elliot had a successful operation to stop him losing his sight completely. Following the operation, Elliot found himself able to continue his passion for judo by enlisting in the VI judo team and is now aiming for the Tokyo 2021 Paralympics. Judo has always been a big part of the Stewart family make-up with his father Dennis, a GB Judo coach, who also won bronze in the -95kg category at the 1988 Olympics. Keeping up with the family tradition, Elliot’s younger brother, Max, is already on GB Judo’s elite programme and has many medals under his belt. So, 2021 will be a special year for the Stewart family; both Elliot and Max are aiming for Olympic and Paralympic victories in Tokyo, 33 years after their father won his Olympic medal in Seoul.
INTERESTS: Travelling with his family Experiencing new places and cultures Coaching
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LAUREN PRICE
LAUREN HAS COMPETED AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL IN TWO DIFFERENT SPORTS 30
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LAUREN PRICE Sport: Boxing
In 2014 Lauren found herself in a position that most other athletes would envy: continue an international football career, or embark on a new career in boxing and aim for the Olympic Games. Lauren made a courageous choice to pursue boxing and it has proven to be a very successful decision. After winning a bronze medal for Wales at the 2014 Commonwealth Games she became part of the Olympic programme at the start of 2017 when she joined GB Boxing’s Podium squad. In 2019 she had a great year winning gold at the World Championships in Russia and the European Championships in Belarus, finishing the year ranked number one in the world. Born in the town of Ystrad Mynach near Caerphilly, Wales, Lauren was a World Champion kickboxer at the age of 12 and, as a 16 year old, spent six months as part of the World Class Programme for GB Taekwondo after being scouted via the Fighting Chance talent campaign. She was also a talented footballer, playing more than 100 games for Cardiff City and over 50 games for Wales. Lauren aims to qualify for Tokyo and fulfil her dream of competing at the Olympic Games. She also hopes for her legacy and career to be an inspiration to the next generation of female boxers in the same way that Nicola Adams was an inspiration to her.
MAJOR HONOURS 2019 World GOLD Championships, Middleweight 2019 European GOLD Games, Middleweight 2018 Commonwealth GOLD Games, Middleweight BRONZE
2018 World Championships, Middleweight
2018 European BRONZE Championships, Middleweight 2016 European BRONZE Championships, Middleweight
INTERESTS: Football Rugby Spending time with her grandparents
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BEN LLEWELLIN
THIS WELSH SHARPSHOOTER HAS HIS EYE ON A MEDAL IN TOKYO FOLLOWING A VERY SUCCESSFUL 2018 32
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BEN LLEWELLIN Sport: Shooting
Ben Llewellin is a professional clay shooter from Pembrokeshire in Wales. He is the current British and Commonwealth Games silver medalist in Olympic skeet shooting. Despite being a relative newcomer to the sport, Ben is already competing on the world stage. He has represented both Wales and Great Britain at international level.
MAJOR HONOURS 2018 SILVER Commonwealth Games, Skeet 2017 Commonwealth GOLD Championships, Skeet
Ben’s greatest achievement so far is bringing home a gold at the Commonwealth Shooting Federation Championships in 2017. The Welsh skeet shooter then followed this up with an impressive silver in the 2018 Commonwealth Games. He also won the British Championships in 2018 for the third time. Despite his success, Ben has also suffered disappointment. He just missed out on the 2014 Commonwealth Games by missing one target. This result left Ben a little disheartened, but some calm, experienced words from his dad put him back on track. Ben‘s family has a great sporting history; his father is two-time British rally champion David Llewellin and his teenage brother has also embarked on a rally cross career. Ben however, followed in older brother Luke’s footsteps and chose a clay shooting career instead.
INTERESTS: Rally Cross
With his family’s sporting heritage and Ben’s own personal desire to stand tall at the top of the podium next year, we predict success won’t be far away for Ben and his family. 33
MALLORY FRANKLIN
ALREADY A THREE TIME WORLD CHAMPION, MALLORY IS A YOUNG ATHLETE WITH A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD OF HER 34
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MALLORY FRANKLIN Sport: Canoeing 26-year-old Mallory Franklin is a C1 and K1 slalom canoeist and in 2018, she became Great Britain’s most successful female canoeist, winning a record eight individual and three team medals in a season. The Windsor paddler took up the sport after messing around on the banks of the Thames with her older brother Zak when she was just five-years-old. Since then, the whitewater rapids haven’t stopped calling and her determination has helped her get to where she is today. Talking of her sporting motto to the Canoe and Kayak magazine, Mallory said: “I guess I have one main goal in my canoeing career: I would be happy with my career if I could look back and say I did my best in every situation and worked my hardest to do my absolute best. As anyone in the sport does, I do have a goal to go to the Olympics and hopefully win a gold medal, but I am heavily of the opinion that if you base all your happiness on an outcome, you risk never being happy.” Outside of canoeing, Mallory has a 2:1 in Sports Therapy from the University of Bedfordshire and in 2017, she was runner up in the BT Sport Action Woman of the Year.
MAJOR HONOURS GOLD
2019 World Cup, K1
GOLD
2019 World Cup, C1
2019 European GOLD Championships, C1 2019 European SILVER Championships, K1 2019 European GOLD Championships, C1 Team 2018 World GOLD Championships, C1 Team 2018 World SILVER Championships, K1
INTERESTS: Baking Her cats Sports therapy
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GRACE REID Sport: Diving
The 24-year-old diver from Edinburgh describes the first dive she ever took aged four as “feeling like flying”. Since then, Grace has gone from strength to strength, winning gold in both the Commonwealth Games and European Championships in 2018. Grace made history as she became the first woman ever to win a Commonwealth diving gold for Scotland in the Gold Coast and also claimed five Diving World Series medals. This came after taking home the silver at the 2017 World Championships in the 3m mixed snychro partnered with Tom Daley, who she credits as ‘putting diving on the map’. But the 23-year-old likes to keep it grounded, often sharing videos of diving fails and belly flops on Instagram - look them up, they’re very funny. Last year, Grace recently placed her Applied Sports Science studies on hold and moved from Edinburgh to London to train in the Olympic pool in a bid to improve.
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W D G F Q
WHEN SHE’S NOT DANCING TO BEYONCÉ, GRACE IS TRAINING HARD FOR HER OLYMPIC MEDAL QUEST
MAJOR HONOURS 2018 Commonwealth GOLD Games, 1m springboard 2018 European GOLD Championships, 3m springboard 2018 European Championships, SILVER Mixed 3m synchro 2017 World Championships, SILVER Mixed 3m synchro 2016 European Championships, GOLD Mixed 3m synchro
INTERESTS: Coffee Beyoncé Spending time with her dog
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CHARLOTTE HENSHAW
AFTER A SWIMMING SILVER, CHARLOTTE AIMS FOR CANOEING GOLD
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CHARLOTTE HENSHAW Sport: Para Canoeing
Charlotte Henshaw has spent the last three years canoeing, having previously enjoyed a very successful para-swimming career. Charlotte first started swimming aged four, when she began lessons at her local pool. She progressed through the local club system and made her debut at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games where she finished fourth. While one Paralympic sport is enough for most, Charlotte decided she needed a change following the conclusion of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games in which she took home a bronze medal. A brief trial in a kayak in early 2016 stuck in Charlotte’s memory post-Rio, and it was British Canoeing who she contacted first when thinking about switching sports. To say the 33-year-old took to canoeing like a duck to water is probably an understatement, and she has so far achieved a podium in every race she has started internationally. Charlotte is now the reigning KL2 200m World Champion, after winning at the 2018 World Championships. She also took bronze in the VL3 200m race in what became the most successful year racing for British Canoeing to date. In 2019, Charlotte won gold at the European Championships and World Cup. Away from competition, Charlotte graduated from Stirling University in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sports Studies.
MAJOR HONOURS 2019 ECA Paracanoe GOLD European Championships, KL2 200m 2019 ICF Paracanoe Sprint GOLD World Cup, KL2 200m 2018 ICF Paracanoe World GOLD Championships, KL2 200m 2018 ECA Paracanoe SILVER European Championships, KL2 200m
INTERESTS: Travel Passionate about driving the female and parasport agendas Great British Bake COVID-19: Charlotte Henshaw raised money for the samwhitelegacy, emilyharrisfoundation & limbpower (2.6 challenge charity) during lockdown 39
JESS LEARMONTH Sport: Triathlon
MAJOR HONOURS 2019 ITU World SILVER Triathlon Series Grand Final 2018 SILVER Commonwealth Games, Individual 2018 Commonwealth SILVER Games, Mixed Relay 2018 European SILVER Championships, Individual
INTERESTS: Making Pizza Coffee Travelling
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WITH A COMMONWEALTH SILVER SECURED IN 2018, JESS IS FIRMLY ON THE TRACK TO TOKYO Strength, endurance and passion are all things every athlete needs, and Jess Learmonth has these in spades. Jess is a triathlete who will happily tell you she’s “Made in Yorkshire”. She won a silver medal in the mixed relay and individual races at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and most recently at the 2019 Grand Final Lausanne. Bursting onto the scene in 2015, Jess quickly adapted to competing with the world’s best. She won her first European Cup event in 2016 before winning her first ETU European title in 2017. Jess’ first taste of a mixed sport event was the Commonwealth Games where she picked up a silver medal. Triathlon events include running, cycling and swimming stages. It’s in the water that Jess excels. She is a former member of the City of Leeds Swimming Club, competing on a national level. It’s this experience that helped her in triathlon. She is now considered part of the new era of british triathletes alongside Non Stanford, Vicky Holland and Jodie Stimpson. It was a friend’s unfortunate accident that Jess uses as a source of inspiration. Her friend had a motorbike accident and her strength and recovery is the inspiration Jess uses mid race to power through. 41
SABRINA FORTUNE
AIMING TO TAKE HER SHOT AT GOLD 42
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SABRINA FORTUNE Sport: Para Athletics
Sabrina Fortune hails from Mold in North Wales and first became inspired to take up athletics after watching her brother compete. Aged 11, Sabrina joined her local club and quickly showed talent and promise in the shot put. The now 23-year-old first began competing in local meets back in 2008 and no fortune was needed for Sabrina, whose career kick-started after winning bronze at the Rio Paralympic Games in 2016. She went on to claim gold in the shot put at the 2018 World Para Athletics European Championships and the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships, achieving a championship record and personal best of 13.91m last year. When she’s not competing, Sabrina enjoys cake decorating and sugar craft and regularly posts pictures of her creations on Twitter.
MAJOR HONOURS 2019 World Para Athletics GOLD Championships, Shot Put F20 2018 World Para Athletics GOLD European Championships, Shot Put F20 2016 Paralympic BRONZE Games, Shot Put F20
INTERESTS: Sugar craft Baking Weight lifting
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ALI JAWAD
FROM REFUGEE TO WORLD CHAMPION 44
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ALI JAWAD Sport: Powerlifting Ali Jawad is a British Paralympic powerlifter. The 31-year-old has been competing since the age of 16, and has British, European and World records under his belt. Ali’s life has not been easy. He was born in war torn Lebanon with no legs. His family escaped to Britain, setting up home in Tottenham, where Ali refused to let his disability hold him back. He started off competing in judo, and discovered powerlifting in 2006. He suffered a blow at London 2012 when judges ruled out his 189kg lift and silver medal, but didn’t let the setback stop him. In 2013 he beat the world record by lifting 185.5kg - more than three times his bodyweight
MAJOR HONOURS 2018 Commonwealth BRONZE Games, Lightweight SILVER
2016 Paralympic Games, -59kg
2015 European GOLD Championships, -65kg 2014 IPC Powerlifting GOLD World Championships, -59kg BRONZE
2014 Commonwealth Games, 72kg
in the under 59kg class. In 2014 at the IPC Powerlifting World Championships he landed top spot by setting a new world record of 190kg. Ali has Crohn’s Disease, which can be debilitating, and means he has to follow a strict diet and be very disciplined. He is an advocate for charities who support sufferers.
INTERESTS: Liverpool FC Tackling doping in sports Food
Ali has shown so much tenacity in his life. Whatever happens at 2021, he will be there, and be strong.
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ELLEN BUTTRICK
THE CHARITY WORKER HOPING TO MAKE HER DEBUT AT TOKYO 2020
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TRACK TO TOKYO
ELLEN BUTTRICK Sport: Para Rowing
Meet 24-year-old Ellen Buttrick, the para-rower and
MAJOR HONOURS
charity worker hoping to make her Paralympic debut at
2018 World GOLD Championships, PR3 Mix4+
Tokyo 2020. After first seeing people row at Roundhay Park near her home in Leeds, Buttrick’s love of rowing began when she started a learn-to-row course during the opening week of the London 2012 Olympics. Buttrick attended a para-rowing Talent ID day in August 2017 and only 12 months later became World Champion in the PR3 Mixed Coxed Four. While still competing at an exceptional level with the GB para-rowing squad, Ellen is also helping to
2019 Gavirate International GOLD Regatta, PR3 Mix4+ (Saturday) 2019 Gavirate International GOLD Regatta, PR3 Mix4+ (Sunday)
INTERESTS: Spending time outdoors Volunteering with Girlguiding UK
transform lives. In her debut season for the GB team, Ellen helped to rebuild the lives of Syrian families resettling in Yorkshire thanks to her job with the Refugee Council in Leeds.
COVID-19: Has been volunteering in her community during lockdown
Ellen has set her sights on Tokyo and now trains full time at the national training centre in Caversham. Alongside training, Ellen continues to support refugees and asylum seekers across the Thames Valley with the Oxford based charity, Sanctuary Hosting. 47
NEKODA SMYTHE-DAVIS
2012 VOLUNTEER TO 2020 CHAMPION? 48
TRACK TO TOKYO
NEKODA SMYTHE-DAVIS Sport: Judo
Nekoda Smythe-Davis may have been blighted by injury in 2019 after five months out with a shoulder injury, but she has Olympic qualification in sight and is determined to be on the plane to Tokyo in July. Growing up in Cricklewood, London, Nekoda began judo at the age of six after her mother wanted her and her brother to be able to defend themselves. Since then she has gone from strength to strength, and after acting as a volunteer at London 2012, she has gone on to face several of the London Olympians in the last few years. Within two years of watching the world’s best at London 2012, Nekoda had won the gold medal in her 57kg weight category at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Within four years, she was competing at her first Olympic Games in Rio. And now, with the Tokyo Games just around the corner, she is one of the world’s leading competitors in her field and a genuine medal hope for Great Britain.
MAJOR HONOURS 2018 World Judo SILVER Championships, -57kg 2017 World Judo BRONZE Championships, -57kg 2014 GOLD Commonwealth Games, -57 kg
INTERESTS: Her puppy Working with Fit For Sport and The Mintridge Foundation teaching judo
COVID-19: Nekoda has been hosting online coaching sessions to 150 people on Facebook during lockdown
49
JORDAN THOMAS
HE WAS TOLD HE WOULD NEVER WALK AGAIN, BUT THAT DIDN’T STOP HIM
50
TRACK TO TOKYO
JORDAN THOMAS Sport: Karate
Luton born Jordan Thomas was told by doctors he would never walk again after he was hit by a car and broke his leg aged two. But that didn’t stop him. As the son of martial arts legend Willie Thomas, who won the Karate World Championship in 1992, Jordan has followed in his father’s footsteps to become Britain’s first Karate World Champion in 12 years. Jordan also won the European Championships in 2014 before gold medal success at the 2016 World Championships and silver in the 2017 World Games. Now World Karate Champion, the 27-year-old is hoping to go to the Olympic Games and has his sights set firmly on karate’s debut at Tokyo.
MAJOR HONOURS 2017 World SILVER Games, Kumite -67kg 2016 European Karate BRONZE Championships, Kumite -67kg 2016 World Karate GOLD Championships, Kumite -67kg 2014 European Karate ChampiGOLD onships, Kumite -67kg
INTERESTS: Ballet Salsa dancing All things sport especially football
COVID-19: Jordan has been sharing home workouts on Instagram during lockdown 51
864 MEDALS
WON BY NATIONAL LOTTERY FUNDED ATHLETES IN OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC COMPETITION SINCE THE NATIONAL LOTTERY STARTED FUNDING ELITE SPORT IN 1997