Sports fans in Staffordshire can cheer on five Staffordshire-born athletes who will be competing in the Olympics Games Paris, which starts Friday (26 July).
The five Staffs who will be representing Team GB are swimmer Adam Peaty, cyclists Sophie Capewell and Dan Bigham, and slalom canoeists Joe Clarke and Adam Burgess.
Adam Peaty has already won three Olympic gold medals and eight world titles. The record-breaking swimmer began his swimming career at Uttoxeter’s Dove Valley Swimming Club.
Sophie Capewell, from Lichfield, has won two national titles since starting her professional cycling career in 2015.
Dan Bigham, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, previously won silver at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and gold at the UCI Track World Championships in France.
Canoeist Joe Clarke was the first ever British athlete to win K1 canoe slalom gold at the Rio 2016 Olympics Games. He started his canoeing career as part of the Stafford and Stone Canoe Club.
Fellow canoeist Adam Burgess was the first British athlete to win the slalom under 23 world championship in 2015. He also has five World Championship and four European Championship titles to his name.
Conor Hall will also be representing Team GB in the archery category. Although he was born in Belfast, he has lived in Burton-upon-Trent for several years.
Alan White, the leader of Staffordshire County Council, stated: “I’m incredibly proud that Staffordshire athletes are amongst those heading off to Paris for the Olympic Games.”
He continued: “The games will bring over 10,000 of the world’s best athletes together in 32 sports, so they have their work cut out. I do hope people will join me in cheering them on during the three weeks of competition.”
Experienced writer and journalist James McKean leads the daily editorial output at StaffsLive. To contact him, email news@staffslive.co.uk
