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Bursaries for 14 of High Peak's brightest sporting stars

17 June 2010

The group of athletes, who compete in a variety of sports including swimming, fencing and archery, have been awarded the cash from the Derbyshire Talented Athlete Fund and will each use their bursary to help meet training and competition costs.

All of the athletes currently compete for England or Great Britain, or have shown real potential to do so within 18 months.

The 14 athletes are: Emily Allsopp, Russell Smith and Katie Cooper (Swimming), Hannah Beresford (Mountaineering), Judith Browne (Ice Hockey), Katie Byres (Pole Vault), Eric Ham and Abigail Walker (Judo), Diane Lee (Long Distance Triathlon), James Machon (Skiing), Anna Miles ‘Matli (Fencing), Andrew Randall (Archery), Elizabeth Selvey (Waterpolo) and Maddie Thompson (Wheelchair Basketball).

Among the Fund’s financial backers are High Peak Borough Council, Derbyshire County Council and the Electrical Contractors Association.

Jean Wharmby, Executive Councillor for Social and Community Development at High Peak Borough Council, and Nigel Bonner from the Electrical Contractors Association, met the athletes to congratulate them at The Pavilion Gardens in Buxton on Tuesday, June 15.

Councillor Wharmby said: “I’m incredibly proud of the achievements of these fine young athletes and of the fact that we’ve been able to provide some of the funding needed to help them realise their potential.”

More about each of the athletes is below.

Now in its third year, the Derbyshire Talented Athlete Fund has been set up thanks to contributions from a number of partners, including local authorities and businesses.

In addition to High Peak Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council, other contributors include Bolsover District Council, Chesterfield Borough Council, Derby City Council, North East Derbyshire District Council, Amber Valley Borough Council, Erewash Borough Council, South Derbyshire District Council and Derbyshire Dales District Council.

Rolls-Royce, the University of Derby, Derbyshire County Cricket Club, Lorson International, Derby College and the Electrical Contractors Association have also all shown their support financially for a third year.

The 14 athletes are:

Emily Allsopp (Swimming)

Emily, (16), is a member of the Derventio eXcel swim squad, and is tipped for junior international representation for GB this season. The Buxton teenager is a member of the England Talent ID Squad and finished fifth at the ASA National Championships in the 14/15 age group – in what was her first ever national appearance.

Hannah Beresford (Mountaineering)

Hannah, from Buxton, is in the Junior British team and competed at a European Youth Series round in November. The 18-year-old also competed at the British Leading Climbing Championships and finished seventh, having recently recovered from a broken leg which had stopped her competing for several months.

Judith Browne (Ice Hockey)

14-year-old Judith, from Glossop, is a member of the England U16 girls team. At regional level she competes with the girls U16 Northern Conference Team and at club level plays for both the Manchester Phoenix and Kingston Diamonds teams.

Katie Byres (Pole Vault)

Katie, (16), represented the Great Britain and NI team at the European Youth Olympic Trials in Moscow in the Pole Vault. She was placed sixth in the final and qualified to go to the first ever Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in August. She has completed her first three outdoor competitions after a successful indoor season, and recently jumped at Sportcity, Manchester, in the National Junior (U20) League where she jumped a new PB of 4m 02 and broke the league record and set a new British U17 record. She followed this up at the young athlete league match in Blackpool where she increased her personal best jump to 4m 03, another new British record.

Katie Cooper (Swimming)

15-year-old Katie, from Glossop, will compete at the British Championships in March, and is hoping to qualify for the European Juniors, giving her a place on the British Junior Team. At the National Championships she will be aiming to medal in her main events, the 200m and 400m freestyle and the 400m individual medley.

Eric Ham (Judo)

Eric, (13), attends Glossop Judo Club and is currently ranked No.1 in the country for his age as well as being a member of the England Judo Squad.  Eric started judo at the age of four and has never stopped winning since.  In recent months success has come from far and wide with medal winning performances coming from all over Europe. This year Eric has picked up medals in France and Germany as well as winning the recent prestigious Venray International Tournament in the Netherlands. This event is regarded as the premier International event for children of his age.

Diane Lee (Long Distance Triathlon)

25-year-old Diane, from Buxton, represented GB for the first time in 2009, becoming the European Long Distance Champion in the 18 to 24 age group. This year she will represent GB in the 25 to 29 age group and has been selected to compete at the European Long Distance Championships in June and the World Long Distance Championships in August.

James Machon (Skiing)

19-year-old James, from Bamford, competed for GB at senior level at the World Cup Halfpipe, World Championships Halfpipe and European Open Halfpipe in 2009. He also won the British Championship Halfpipe in Switzerland.

Anna Miles ‘Matli (Fencing)

Anna, (17), was a member of the Great Britain team at the European U17 Sabre Fencing Championships in Bourges, France and at the World U17 Sabre Fencing Championships in Belfast. The Glossop teenager also fenced in an U20 World Cup Sabre Fencing Championship in Sosnowiec, Poland.

Andrew Randall (Archery)

Andrew, from Bamford, is currently part of the GB Archery Junior Talent Identification training squad. The 17-year-old has achieved Master Bowman classification, the second highest classification possible in GB Archery, and was invited to shoot for GB in May but could not compete as the competition clashed with his GCSE exams.

Elizabeth Selvey (Waterpolo)

16-year-old Elizabeth, from Castleton, was a member of the City of Sheffield Team that represented GB in the LEN Trophy in Russia. She is ranked in the top 20 in the National GB Youth Squad 93/94's from which selection for GB representation is due to be made within the next year.

Russell Smith (Swimming)

In 2009 18-year-old Russell, from New Mills, competed for GB at European Juniors for the second consecutive year and was a semi-finalist in the 50m Breaststroke. His coach, Sean Kelly from Stockport ITC, has set Russell a target of competing for the GB Senior team at the Tri-Nations in 2011.

Maddie Thompson (Wheelchair Basketball)

Hope wheelchair basketball star Maddie Thompson became the youngest-ever senior GB international when she was selected to be part of the GB Women’s squad to compete at the BT Paralympic World Cup in Manchester, aged just 14. Last year she also competed at the Women’s European Championships, winning bronze with the GB women. She also plays for Sheffield Steelers and is now working hard to reach her goal of competing for GB at the Paralympic Games in London in 2012.

Abigail Walker (Judo)

15-year-old Abigail, from Glossop, is a member of the England cadet group and is ranked third overall in GB. Her achievements in 2009 included a bronze at the Midlands and North West championships.

Performers from all sports recognised by Sport England are eligible for bursaries, except those already receiving individual lottery awards or TASS funding.

Pictured above is Cllr Jean Wharmby, Nigel Bonner and athletes (from left) Eric Ham, Diane Lee, Katie Byres, Abigail Walker, Emily Allsopp, Elizabeth Selvey and Anna Miles 'Matli.