The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are fast approaching, and athletes from around the world are gearing up to showcase their skills on the grandest stage of all. Among them, a talented group of 8 athletes from Essex are poised, hoping to make their training count. We want to celebrate those from Essex who have been selected to represent Great Britain in the upcoming games.
Alice Kinsella from Basildon will be attending her second Olympic games, the first previously being in Tokyo in 2020 where she achieved Bronze in the Gymnastics Team Competition. With a host of other impressive international medals since then, including two golds at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth games, Alice will be hoping step onto this year’s podium with a Gold around her neck.
Equestrian, Ben Maher, who attended Saffron Walden County High School, will also hoping to add to his Olympic medal tally in the show jumping competition after winning Gold at both the London 2012 and Tokyo games, with Paris being the fifth Olympic Games, highlighting the longevity of his career.
Previous Essex Activity Awards ‘Sports Personality of the Year Winner’, Bethany Shriever, also won Gold at the last Olympic Games in the BMX racing discipline. The 25-year-old from Braintree is one of the best in the world at what she does and still has so long left in her career to achieve more!
Charlie Dobson, 24, from Colchester who has also previously been nominated for an Essex Activity Award will also be looking for success at this years’ Olympic Games. This multi-discipline maestro who has medals in the 200m, 400m and 400m relay, recently set a new PB in the 400 metres in the lead up to qualifying for Paris, demonstrating his desire to be the best and win Gold.
Another Colchester athlete Laura Stephens; an established butterfly specialist in the pool for Team GB in recent years, will be attending her second Olympic Games. When she was younger, she trained at Harwich, Dovercourt & Parkstone Swimming Club before moving to Colchester Swimming Club. After finishing just outside the final spots in Tokyo 2020, Laura will be hoping to get into the final and win her first Olympic Medal.
Lewis Richardson is the third Colchester athlete on the plane to Paris, you can read his journey to the Olympics in Paris here. Initially an aspiring footballer and only using boxing to stay fit, after winning the 2012 National School Boy Championships he decided to focus on boxing and look where it’s got him! He’ll be looking to add to the Commonwealth Games Bronze he already has to his name.
Matthew Coward-Holley, previously a promising rugby player, swapped his scrum cap for a shotgun after two severe back injuries. Having taking part in this past time with his father at a young age, Matthew is on his way to his second Olympics, and will be hoping to upgrade the Bronze he won in Tokyo in the Trap discipline for Gold.
Max Whitlock, who has trained at the South Essex Gymnastics Club since a young age was actually born in Hertfordshire but calls Essex his second home, having set up the ‘Max Whitlock Gymnastics Club’ in two Essex locations. He has an impressive 32 medals in a range of different disciplines including his specialist, the pommel horse, making him one of the most decorated British athletes of his generation. Paris 2024 will be Max’s fourth and final Olympic Games and he’ll be hoping to close out his career with Gold.
With the games almost here, these exceptional Essex athletes will be hoping to do the County proud and prove victorious. Their journeys to the Olympics may all vary but their goals are all the same. We eagerly wait to see the outcome of their performances on the world stage, make sure to tune in and show your support as they compete for glory in Paris.
