2012 GB Rising Stars: ones to watch

Danielle Brown: Archery

This 20 year old Law University Student from Yorkshire is currently ranked number 1 in the world in her archery category. Danielle took up her sport aged just 15 and made her GB international debut only 2 years later aged 17. Two years later Danielle won two Gold medals at the World Championships aged 19, making a world record shot to beat team mate Mel Clarke in the open Compound event and gaining a second Gold in the team event. Danielle was also the youngest member of the GB Paralympic Archery squad in Beijing and brought home a Gold medal.

Ian Jones: Athletics

This multi-talented young individual from Manchester had a trial for Manchester United as a youngster. He is also a black belt in Judo and a qualified football and disability sports coach. Ian started out running in the 100 and 200 metres events in the 2007 Paralympic Athletics World Cup where he took the silver medal in both events. He has gone on to claim a bronze in the T 44 200m and 400m in Beijing behind his rival Oscar Pistorius. This quality of competition can only make Jones better and Beijing was valuable experience for this young athlete before he hits his peak in 2012.

 

Rochelle Woods: Athletics

Shelly Woods burst onto the scene in 2005 when she came second in the wheelchair London Marathon and beat Tanni Grey- Thompson into third place. Now the 22 year old from Blackpool, who broke the British record in the T54 marathon Padova in Italy in April 2008 with a time of 1 hr 37 mins 44 secs, spends most of her time training both in the UK and Australia with her coach Andrew Dawes. Shelly appears set to push herself to new heights of sporting achievement as she is competing in four events at the her first Paralympics in Beijing with her winning a silver in the T54 1500m then doing it again and winning a bronze in a controversial 5000m. Shelley has recently been quoted as saying ‘ever since I started racing it has been my dream to race at the Paralympics and now my dream has come true’

Abdi Jama: Basketball

Somali born scouser Abdi Jama from Liverpool is one of the rising stars in Wheelchair Basketball. This friendly, likeable and approachable northener changes character when he gets on the basketball court, however. In competition he reveals a sharp competitive edge, as his impressive performances in the GB Team in the Manchester 2008 Paralympic World Cup, when the GB Basketball Team took the Silver medal, proved. His key performance in the Paralympics in Beijing against Israel in the quarter finals played a major role in giving GB the chance to medal and go on to win Bronze. . Having been on the fringes of the GB squad for the past few years Abdi is now establishing himself as a regular in the ‘guard’ position of the team. Abdi gained on court experience by playing abroad in one of Italy’s top wheelchair basketball teams for three years. Now back in Britain, Abdi currently plays for Wolvehampton Rhinos.

Ali Jawad: Power lifting

And finally to Ali Jawad. This teenager from Tottenham has made meteoric progress in his chosen sport of power lifting over the past 2 years. Ali qualified for Beijing and made it through the qualifying rounds in the Powerlifting to become the youngest powerlifter to make the Final. Ali achieved 9th place overall against tough opposition - is a real achievement for this young North Londoner. With the experience age and greater competitive experience will bring, watch out for this guy in 2012.