3 out of the 5 Paralympic athletes are current Paralympic champions. Claire Cashmore began competing in the Paralympic in 2004 in Athens. She won gold and silver in Rio in 2016 for swimming. In Tokyo 2021 she is running in the Paratriathlon. Ellie Challis is a swimmer. Aged 16 months she developed sepsis and meningitis. The disease ravaged her tiny body resultingin her having both legs amputated below the knee and both arms at the elbow. In 2012 she won bronze in the S3 50m backstroke in the Paralympics in London. She is the world record holder for SB2 50m backstroke . Hollie Beth Arnold is the reigning Paralympic F46 javelin thrower. In 2008, aged just 14, she was the youngest ever field event athlete. In 2018 she became the first ever javelin thrower to hold all 4 major titles in the same Paralympic/ Olympic 4 year cycle. Kylie Grimes has returned to her first love wheelchair rugby after a life changing spinal injury in 2006. Stef Reid, a long jumper, has won bronze at London 2012 and in Rio in 2016, but yet to win gold.

Thursday, 26th August 2021 Jaco van Gass, who was born in South Africa, has just won GB another gold medal. Jaco, a member of the British Armed Forces Parachute Regiment before he was seriously injured by a RPG (Rocket Propelled Granade)has just won the Men’s 3,000 Cycling Pursuit gold medal.

I have put together a number of phrase/vocabulary sheets plus some Poetry Aids about sport. I have tried to divide up winter and summer sports. Some sports of course are played throughout the year. I have added, at the end, a exam type sheet about trainers -sample answer included.

Women’s football has taken off in an enormous way in 2022. These 4 women were there at the beginning. 4 wikipedia profiles Amandine Henry French b. 1989 known as The conqueror Marta Viera da Silva Brazilian b.1986 known asThe Brazilian pear**** Mia Hamm American b 1972 known asWoman with the golden feet** Nadine Angerer German b.1978 known as The invincible These 4 are included in Fantastic Footballers 40 inspiring icons written by Jean-Michel Billiou a WIde Eyed publication

Madge was a figure skating champion. She participated in the Men’s category in 1902 because there was no women’s category . She came second smashing everyone’s expectations! Madge Syers was world figures-skating champion in 1906.and 1907. At the London Summer Games in 1908 she won the Olympic title in the ladies competition, and bronze, with her husband and trainer,Edgar. She is the only female skater to win both individual and pairs at the same Olympics. She always wore a hat when performing. She also took her ice-skates every where she went. Madge was the first to perform technically perfect jumps. She retired shortly after 1908, due to poor health, and wrote books about the art of figure skating 1920 was the last time figure-skating was included in the Summer Games. In 1924 it became part of the first Winter Olympic Games held in Chamonix, France. Sources used Wikipedia Amazing Athletes by Jean-Michel Billioud

Harpal Singh - a former professional footballer who played for Bradford City , Bristol Rovers, Bury, Leeds, Stockport County, Sligo Rovers, Bohemians and Dundalk. Jazz Juttle- former Scottish footballer who was part of the Rangers youth system -eventually played for Greenock Morton, He was one of the few from Scottish Asian descent to be involved in professional football in Scotland Mark Chopra -position striker - spent 6 years at Newcastle United but never secured a regular place in the first team. Went on loan to Watford, Nottingham Forest and Barnsley. Played for Cardiff ( four), Sunderland, Ipswich Town, Blackpool, Kerala Blasters (twice) and Alloa Athletic. Represented England at under 16, 17,19 and 20 levels. Mark Ravin Ramprakash - a gifted former right handed cricketer. Selected for England aged only 21 but rarely performed to his full potential in his long but intermittent international career in Tests and ODI (1991-2002) . Played originally for Middlesex and then moved to Surrey -averaged over 100 first class runs in seasons 2006 and 2007 . He scored 100 first class centuries. In 2014 appointed as England’s batting coach. Neil Taylor- footballer - played for Wrexham, Swansea City and Aston Villa - made international debut for Wales in 2010 Ravi Bopara - cricket all-rounder - bats right handed and bowls right arm medium- played for Sussex. He was part of the England team from 2007-15. He scored 3 consecutive 100s for England against the West Indies in 2008-9 but then struggled to find best form and was dropped. In 2016 he took over the captaincy of the Essex one day team. Ronni Irani- former England cricket all-rounder- right-handed batsman and right arm medium bowler - found niche in One Day Internationals (ODI). Began career with Lancashire then spent most of his career at Essex County Cricket Club. he was an all-rounder until 2003 when a knee injury stopped him from bowling. Retired from first class cricket in 2007. He scored 20,000 runs and took 650 wickets. Yan Dhanda - he is an attacking midfield footballer - began career at West Bromwich, spent 5 years in the youth ranks at Liverpool, now plays for Swansea City. Represented England at U16 and U 17s. He says racism inspires him to play his best.

Those born earliest Viv Anderson born 1956 Ian Wright born 1963 November 3rd John Barnes born 1963 November 7th Des Waler born 1965 Paul Ince born 1967 David James born 1970 Sol Campbell born 1974 Emile Heskey born 1978 January 11th Rio Ferdinand born 1978 November 7th Ashley Cole born 1980 10 of England’s former black footballers

I have put together some information about some Asian British Sports personalities -there is an emphasis on cricket. Adil Rashid is an English cricketer who plays for Yorkshire and England as a leg spinner. He was part of the England squad that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup. His England captain,Eoin Morgan, regards him as a strong asset. He belongs to the Mirpuri community. Isa Guha is former England cricketer. She is now a cricket commentator,television and radio broadcaster. A member of the winning 2009 World Cup for women. She played for Thames Valley and Berkshire Manish Tailor is the founder of Swaggarlicious- founded in 2011 - which uses the power of football and education to engage with diverse community groups and organisations with mental illness. Her inspiration is her twin brother, who aged 18 had serious mental problems.A former headteacher she has received many awards for her contribution to community and sport. Moeen Ali is a former English international cricketer and captain- retired September 2021. He is a left handed batsman but a right-arm off- spinner. Represented England in all the formats. A member of the England’s 2019 winning squad. Former Warwickshire player now plays for Worcestershire. Monty Panesar is a former English international cricketer. He was a slow left-arm orthodox spinner. He made his debut in 2006. He was not a regular member of the team - Graeme Swann replaced him. He played for several different counties Naomi Dilip Dattani is an English professional cricketer who plays for and captains Middlesex Women and also plays for Sunrises and London Spirit. She is an all-rounder- she bats left handed and bowls left-arm medium. In 2020 she was one of 25 players awarded regional retainer contracts by the England and Wales Cricket Board. Nasser Hussain is a former England captain (1999-2003) and regarded as one of England’s most able captains. He played 96 test matches and 88 One day international games. He was a right handed batsman who scored over 30,000 in his career. He is now a commentator. Ruqsana Begum is a female professional kickboxer and boxer. She was a British and World Kickboxing Association Atomweight MuayThai boxing champion and captain of the British Muay Thai team. In 2018 she switched to boxing. Salma Bi is a former cricketer, who bowled off-spin and played for Worcestershire, Northampton and MCC. Today she runs a range of cricket schemes and sessions for girls and was rewared with an BEM in the new Year Honours list. Samera Ashraf is a police constable in Scotland and has a blue belt in karate and kickboxing. She hopes to inspire women to join Police Scotland. Sheneela Ahmed is a Criminal Lawyer Advocate and a Lawyer Football Agent. In 2014 she was crowned with Asian Woman Achievement Award 2014. She is also a Women of the Future (WOFT) Ambassador and received HSBC top 50 Women Global Award, Sonia Odedra is an Eglish cricketer who plays for Nottinghamshire, Lig

Mildred ‘Babe’ Didrikson was born in Port Arthur, Texas. Her parents were immigrants from Norway. She was the sixth of seven children. The family moved to 850 Doucette in Beaumont, Texas aged 4. Her mother called her ‘Bebe’ from a toddler. She was nicknamed Babe - after Babe Ruth - when she scored 5 home runs in a chidlhood baseball game. She left school without graduating and went on to become an American athlete who excelled in golf, basketball, baseball, plus track and field. At the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics she set 4 world records. 80 metres hurdles -11.7 Javelin 43.69 metres - the first woman Olympic champion high jump 1.657 metres then 1,67 (same height as Jean Shiley who got the gold because Mildred used an improper technique). (Apparently she also twice broke the long jump record but the judges ruled them as fouls.) Mildred is the only athlete, male or female, to win individual Olympic medals in separate running, throwing and jumping events. In 1934 she tried Baseball . Mildred is still recognized as the world record holder for the farthest baseball thrown by a woman. She then became America’s first female golf celebrity and was the leading player of the 1940s and early 1950s. As an amateur and professional she won many golf tournaments. Serious illness ended her golfing career in the mid 1950s. Mildred was indeed a very talented sports woman. Sources Wikipedia Amazing Athletes by Jean-Michal Billioud