Powerchair football star Ellie Renton, has won a Northern Children of Courage award for her achievements in the fast-paced sport.
The 11-year-old Ripon Grammar School student, whose rare genetic condition means she is unable to walk, was also praised for being a brilliant role model at an awards ceremony held at the Hilton Hotel in Gateshead.
Powerchair football allows people with physical disabilities to play football. Middlesbrough Powerchair Football Club first team winger Ellie, from Kirkby Malzeard, is one of the youngest players competing in the national league.
She was diagnosed at 18 months old with type two spinal muscular atrophy, a slow progressive muscle wasting condition which has left her with weak arms and legs and prone to potentially life-threatening chest infections and pneumonia.
The awards, organised by The St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation, celebrate the achievements of young people who have overcome barriers, achieved something extraordinary or helped and supported others.
Coach Carolyn Bean, who nominated Ellie, praised her achievements:
She said:
“She has worked her way up through the teams and has improved so much. She is a joy to coach, listens and tries her hardest absolutely all the time.
“Ellie often comes to training early to help out during our lower-level training, at such a young age I find this pretty amazing. She has such a natural understanding of what other players need and is already a brilliant role model, even to those older than her.
“Ellie holds her own during matches, playing against other teams with players of all ages, which can sometimes be quite scary.”
Ellie, pictured in the foreground, playing powerchair football.
The year seven pupil, who plans to study marine biology at university, said the award came as a huge surprise as she didn’t know she had been nominated. She said:
“I feel grateful, happy and honoured, when I play powerchair football it feels normal, like a normal sport as this is something I can do with my abilities.”
Her mother, Yvonne, added:
“When Ellie was five and first got into a powerchair for football, we were told she would go far. Within two to three years, she had achieved national status, the youngest player to reach that level in the UK.”
Ellie also enjoys music, art, science and maths.
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Her father, Martin, said:
A kiss from Tokyo as Ripon’s Jack Laugher wins Olympic bronze“We would like to thank her coach who nominated her without us knowing – it was a huge surprise when we heard Ellie had won. We are extremely happy and over the moon for her, to receive such an award and to be recognised for her abilities in powerchair football.”
There was a kiss that crossed the world as Ripon’s diving hero Jack Laugher added to his Olympic medal haul with bronze in the men’s individual three-metre springboard event.
TV viewers this morning could hear him saying ‘love you Mum, love you Dad’ as he blew a kiss to his parents Jackie and Dave in Littlethorpe.
Mrs Laugher told the Stray Ferret:
“It was very emotional hearing that and he also Facetimed us immediately after the event.”
She added:
“The turnaround from last week’s disappointment in the synchronised competition was incredible.
“He let his diving do the talking this morning and it was neck and neck for the silver medal until his last dive.”
Jack Laugher winning the bronze medal. Photo: British Swimming
Mrs Laugher added:
“Dave and I could not be prouder. He is a fine son and a very special and inspirational person.”
In a nail-biting finish at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, the medal placings were only decided in the sixth and final round.
With just two points between them after five dives, Laugher scored 87.75 while China’s Wang Zongyuan was awarded 102 points by the judges.
However XIE Siyi’s 102.6 saw him add Olympic Gold to his world championship title, with his countryman in silver and Laugher in the bronze medal position.
Laugher, a member of the City of Leeds Swimming club, has the distinction of being the only GB diver in history to win Olympic medals in the men’s individual competition, securing his name forever in the sporting record books.
He now has the full medal set with today’s bronze adding to the gold and silver he won five years ago at the Rio 2016 games.
Laugher, who was born and bred in Littlethorpe, has proved a sporting role model to students at his former schools, Cathedral Primary and Ripon Grammar and also supports Ripon City Netball Club, where his mother is a player.
Close family friend Helen Mackenzie, who is head coach at the club, said:
“Something very special about Jack is the fact that he has never forgotten his roots.
“He is a kind, generous and thoughtful young man, who has given back so much to the local community.”
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Ripon’s Jack Laugher in Olympic diving final
Jack Laugher is bidding for further Olympic glory this morning.
A superb series of six dives took him into the men’s individual three-metre springboard final, which can be seen live on BBC TV from 7am.
The former Ripon Grammar School student, whose family home is in Littlethorpe, finished in third position behind China’s XIE Siyi and Wang Zongyuan in today’s semi-final.
Early-bird television viewers, who tuned in a 2am UK time, saw Laugher score 514.75 points in a stylish and controlled performance at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.
It all started here – Spa Baths, Ripon where Jack Laugher was taught to swim at the age of 3 by Sylvia Grice MBE
If he can repeat the highly-disciplined display of diving excellence that he achieved in the semi-final, he has an outstanding opportunity to add to the Gold and Silver medals that saw him make history five years ago.
He and then partner Chris Mears, became the first-ever GB diving medallists, when they fought off a challenge from China to claim Olympic Gold at the Rio 2016 games.
Six days later, Laugher added Silver in the men’s individual springboard event, finishing behind China’s Yuan Cao.
The challenge from the Chinese pair of XIE Siyi and Wang Zongyuan, cannot be under-estimated, but it’s all to play for when the 12 finalists take to the springboard in Tokyo.
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‘I’m proud of Jack… it just wasn’t his day’, says mum Jackie Laugher
There was Olympic disappointment for Jack Laugher and his diving partner Daniel Goodfellow in Tokyo this morning as they finished out of the medals in seventh place.
Laugher, who was born and bred in the Ripon area, still has the opportunity of adding to the gold and silver medals he won in Rio when he competes in next week’s individual three-metre springboard event.
His mother Jackie, who watched with her husband, David, at their Littlethorpe home, told the Stray Ferret:
“From the start it didn’t look like it was going to be their day, but they are a relatively new team.
“I’m immensely proud of Jack, he’s a wonderful son, great sportsman and role model, but above all he’s a lovely person who will always call Littlethorpe his home.”
Jack Laugher (left) and Daniel Goodfellow making their opening dive
Family friend Helen Mackenzie, who was in Rio with Jackie to see Jack’s gold and silver medal performances in 2016, said:
“It is testimony to their determination and mental toughness that, following five below par dives, he and Daniel achieved their best score in the final one which, with a tariff of 3.9, is the world’s most difficult dive.
“This bodes well for next week, when Jack takes part in the individual event.”
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Gemma Williams, who like Jackie and Helen is a member of Ripon City Netball Club, said:
“I love and feel pride by proxy, seeing Jack and Dan compete – not the result they would want, but still an amazing achievement.”
Leanne Jalland, chair of Harrogate District Diving Club, where Jack used to train, also spoke of its pride in the pair despite today’s outcome.
Ripon’s Jack Laugher loses Olympic title in Tokyo“It was a high standard competition but unfortunately it was not their day today. That’s diving as a sport for you, anything can happen and it all comes down to the dives on the day.
“That last dive showed a glimpse of what they are capable of and we are confident that both Jack and Dan have got the strength of character to come back stronger from this.”
Ripon’s Olympic hero Jack Laugher has missed out on his bid to win a second successive gold in the synchronised three-metre springboard diving.
Laugher and partner Daniel Goodfellow finished seventh in this morning’s event, which was won by China.
The duo from the City of Leeds Club triumphed at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in May at the FINA Diving World Cup. But they were unable to replicate the same form in the same pool today.
Laugher, who grew up in the Ripon area and attended Cathedral Church of England Primary and Ripon Grammar School will now focus on the men’s individual three-metre springboard event, which takes place on Monday and Tuesday next week.
In his home village of Littlethorpe, Jack’s mother Jackie Laugher (pictured above, centre) and Sylvia Grice (left) who taught him to swim, watched in their respective front rooms, while Sylvia’s daughter Helen Mackenzie (right) who taught him at Ripon Grammar School, also tuned in at her Ripon home.
Laugher remains a Ripon hero, having become the first GB diver to win gold and silver medals at an Olympic games.
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With the Tokyo games now underway, a portrait of Olympic gold medallist diver Jack Laugher is providing inspiration to Ripon Grammar School students.
The former RGS pupil became an Olympic champion alongside partner Chris Mears at Rio 2016, when the duo made history in three-metre springboard synchronised diving.
Having become, with Mears, the first GB Olympic divers to win gold, he went on to take silver in the men’s individual three-metre springboard competition.
The painting by artist and RGS parent Fiona Scott, which features Jack holding his medals from Rio, now has pride of place at the school.
The school, along with sports fans across Great Britain, will be cheering him on as he competes in Tokyo.
An inspirational painting – artist Fiona Scott (right) with, from the left: RGS headmaster Jonathan Webb, Dan Brown and Eliza Polito
The synchronised event will be broadcast live on the BBC on Wednesday morning (7am UK time).
The individual event begins with the preliminary round at 7am UK time on August 2, with the semi-final and final respectively starting at 2am and 7am UK time, on 3 August.
Headmaster Jonathan Webb is thrilled to have the stunning oil painting of the Olympic gold medal winner hanging in school, particularly as it was installed just before the games. He said:
“Students and staff are all very excited and we’ll all be willing him on.”
Ms Scott, who arranged a sitting with Laugher at Leeds Aquatics Centre, said he was delighted to hear the painting was now on show at his old school.
Keen swimmer Darcy Harper was among the students who met the sporting hero when he returned to RGS to present prizes to pupils three years ago.
The 15-year-old, who has competed in national schools finals, said:
“I found it inspiring to hear his story and how far he’s come.”
Laugher, who left RGS in 2013, has also inspired Dan Brown, who has represented RGS in county swimming championships, athletics and tennis.
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The 14-year-old, who is aiming for a career in sport, said:
“He has shown how it’s possible to combine a professional sporting career while managing his schoolwork, which I really admire.”
Eliza Polito, a 14-year-old swimmer and runner, added:
“I think it’s so cool to know that Jack Laugher came to this school and has gone on to achieve so much.”
Artist Ms Scott’s daughter Lily Wainwright is a Year 10 boarding student, whose two older brothers also studied at RGS.
The Laugher painting was shortlisted for the Royal Society of Portrait Painters‘ annual exhibition in London in May last year before the exhibition was cancelled due to covid.