We're on the road to Rio! Meet the seven young British athletes who Sportsmail will follow all the way to the Olympics in 2016
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They are seven brilliant young athletes with the same mouth-watering ambition — winning gold at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. And for the next three-and-a-half years, Sportsmail has teamed up with the National Lottery to follow their journey to Brazil.
After the success of Tom Daley, Louis Smith and Co in the Magnificent Seven series ahead of London 2012, these seven athletes are aiming to follow in their footsteps.
1 HARRY BROWN
Sport: Wheelchair basketball
Age: 18
Where are you from?
I was born in Halifax in Yorkshire and brought up there as well. I’ve lived there my whole life with my two brothers and the rest of my family.
Tell us about your sport...
I lost my legs to meningitis when I was two years old. When I was eight, my mum got a job in Asda and one of the people at the store played in the local wheelchair basketball team. He started talking about basketball and that’s how it began. I play for the Sheffield Steelers and am part of the Team GB squad.
Who was your hero growing up?
In my family my grandad has helped me hugely. He always helps drive me to training and he enjoys watching me play.
Wheels of steel: Basketball player Harry Brown stars for the Sheffield Steelers and Team GB
What were you doing during London 2012?
I wasn’t playing but me, my mum, my two brothers and my grandad all went down to watch the Paralympics.
What are your hopes and dreams for Rio 2016?
I’d definitely like a medal, but I don’t know how high we can go. Realistically I think we could get into the gold medal game.
Tell us something interesting about yourself...
When I was little me and my older brother used to collect Buddha statues and it became a tradition to bring back a family Buddha if you’d been away. The biggest one is about twice the size of a basketball — he’s just outside my bedroom.
VIDEO Harry Brown on his Road to Rio 2013
2 SALLY BROWN
Sport: Paralympic athletics
Age: 17
Where are you from?
I live in Ballykelly, Northern Ireland, with my mum, dad and little sister. It’s a tiny village in the middle of nowhere.
Tell us about your sport...
I’m a sprinter and I run the 100 metres and 200m in the T46 classification. When I was born, my left arm wasn’t fully developed and has stayed that way. This year I’ve moved up to 400m as well. The ultimate dream for me would be to compete across both the Olympics and the Paralympics.
Flying the flag: Spritner Sally Brown has targeted a medal in Rio in three years' time
Who was your hero growing up?
When I was younger I ran cross- country so I looked up to Paula Radcliffe. Recently Jess Ennis has become another hero of mine.
What were you doing during London 2012?
I competed in the 100m and 200m. I didn’t run as well as I’d hoped to. I was injured and only started running in April. The experience was amazing but really scary.
Previous: Brown competed at the London Olympics in the 100m and 200m
What are your hopes and dreams for Rio?
I’d definitely like to win a medal. I’ll be 21 and nearing my peak. My aim is to go there and be in the top three for at least one of my events.
Tell us something interesting about yourself...
I’m dating Jonnie Peacock (T44 Paralympic gold medallist in the 100 metres). It became official after the Paralympics but we were really good friends before that.
VIDEO Sally Brown on her Road to Rio 2013
3 CHRIS MEARS
Sport: Diving
Age: 20
Where are you from?
I’m from Reading, born and bred. I live with my parents but spend most of my week in Southampton, where I train.
Tell us about your sport...
I’m a diver, specialising in the 3m springboard individual and synchro events. When I was seven my parents were fed up with me trying to do somersaults on the sofa, so they took me to the local pool to take my anger out.
Head over heels: Chris Mears hopes to replicate Tom Daley's achievements on the diving board
Who was your hero growing up?
When I was nine I started training in Southampton and looked up to Pete Waterfield. He’s been an inspiration, getting to be one of the best in the world. It’s great now as he’s my training partner. He’s a good friend — and an old man!
What were you doing during London 2012?
I was diving and reached the final. It was the best experience of my life. On my last dive, the board was shaking because the crowd was so loud. I could feel the vibrations and was so scared but I pulled off the best dive of my life. I almost died on an operating table a few years ago from a ruptured spleen so it’s incredible what happened.
In the medals: Mears (right) enjoyed a successful start to the year at the British Gas Diving Championships
What are your hopes and dreams for Rio 2016?
It depends on so much but I would really like a medal. I will train hard and hopefully it will be possible.
Tell us something interesting about yourself...
I recently posed naked for Gay Times magazine. I’m used to being almost naked the rest of the time so it was no big deal. I’ve had lots of good feedback.
VIDEO Chris Mears on his Road to Rio 2016
4 ADAM GEMILI
Sport: Athletics
Age: 19
Where are you from?
I was born in London but moved to Kent aged two when my sister was born. I’ve been in the same house for 17 years. There are four of us there — me, my mum, dad and sister.
Tell us about your sport...
I run the 100m and 200m and the sprint relay. After being a footballer, I started training full time last January and got quicker as the year went on. At the World Junior Championships in Barcelona I won the gold medal in the 100m.
Sprint king: Adam Gemili shot to prominence last year and earned a place at the London Olympics
Who was your hero growing up?
Michael Owen was the biggest. He was a great player but it was the way he looked after his family. I really respected him.
What were you doing during London 2012?
I was competing for Team GB in the 100m and the relay. I reached the London 2012 100m semi-final and missed out on the final by 0.04 seconds. It was the best experience of my life. I competed in a lane next to eventual silver medallist Yohan Blake and I was in a race with Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell.
Brit special: Gemili is poised to be the next sprint sensation from these shores
What are your hopes and dreams for Rio 2016?
I want to be up there alongside the world’s best sprinters, running around 9.7sec regularly. If I’m still progressing the way I am, hopefully I’ll win gold.
Tell us something interesting about yourself...
I do yoga to help with my flexibility. I started doing it just before the summer and do it twice a week. It helps a lot with peace of mind.
VIDEO Adam Gemilli on his Road to Rio 2013
5 KATARINA JOHNSON-THOMPSON
Sport: Athletics
Age: 20
Where are you from?
I spent the first year of my life in the Bahamas because my dad, Ricardo, is Bahamian. My mum, Tracey, is from Liverpool — she was a showgirl and used to dance all around the world — and we moved back when I was one to live with my nan, who ran a pub in the city.
Tell us about your sport...
Mum wanted me to dance so she pushed me — like, literally, when I was in a nappy — into lessons. I was a tomboy though, so I hated it. I then went through a number of different things — football, but they wanted me to be in goal, then keyboard, then ice skating. I didn’t really get into athletics until the summer of 2005 but I loved it. Now I do the heptathlon.
One to watch: Katarina Johnson-Thompson has made an encouraging start to her athletics career
What were you doing during London 2012?
I came 15th — I certainly didn’t expect that. I told my nan I would probably come last because I was just happy to be there. I see it as a bonus because in September 2011 I was still having injections in my left knee, my take-off leg for high jump and long jump. They wouldn’t let me jog until November, so my training was really compromised and, at the start of 2012, all of my personal bests added up didn’t meet the Olympic qualifying standard.
Who was your hero growing up?
Carolina Kluft. She was the queen of the heptathlon for so long. Also Usain Bolt, because 2008 was the first Olympics I watched.
What are your dreams and hopes for Rio 2016?
It’s always been about Rio for me, but I’m still only going to be 23 in 2016 which, for a heptathlete, is really young. At the 2020 Olympics I’ll be the same age as Jess was when she won in London.
Tell us something interesting about yourself...
Everyone always used to think Daley Thompson was my dad. In the European juniors I finished the competition and this girl came up to me and said: ‘My father competed with your father in the Olympics.’ No he didn’t!
VIDEO Katarina Johnson Thompson on her Road to Rio 2016
6 REBECCA JAMES
Sport: Cycling
Sport: Cycling
Age: 21
Where are you from?
I’m from Abergavenny but have lived in Altrincham since July 2010. My mum and my dad are in Wales with my five brothers and sisters.
Tell us about your sport...
I’m a sprint cyclist. I do the team sprint, the 500m time trial, the individual sprint and the keirin. I started off in year six, then joined the Welsh talent programme at 13. After finishing my A-levels I trained with Jess Varnish and Victoria Pendleton. The Commonwealth Games in Delhi is my highlight so far, coming up against Anna Meares.
Sprint queen: Rebecca James
Who was your hero growing up?
I began by following Nicole Cooke and really looked up to her. Then when I got on to the track it was all about Chris Hoy. He is so great to train with and an inspiration.
What were you doing during London 2012?
An achilles injury and then appendicitis meant I missed lots of training so didn’t make London 2012. I did go down one day for when Chris won the keirin and I’m glad I did so I could sample the atmosphere.
What are your hopes and dreams for Rio 2016?
I want to be stood on top of the podium. I want that feeling having seen everyone else up there. I want to help Jess Varnish get over her heartbreak of missing out on a medal in London too and our form is looking good.
Tell us something interesting about yourself...
I love to bake. Every Thursday I bring lots of cake to the velodrome. I’m addicted to The Great British Bake Off. My trademark dish is caramel slices.
VIDEO Rebecca James on her Road to Rio 2016
7 MAX WHITLOCK
Sport: Gymnastics
Age: 20
Where are you from?
I was born in Hemel Hempstead and I still live there now but I train in Basildon in Essex. I live with my parents and I’ve got an older brother Ben who is a landscape gardener.
Brit special: Max Whitlock
Tell us about your sport...
I’m a gymnast. I started doing it aged seven. When I was nine I was put into a squad and it’s moved on from there. I do all six disciplines but the pommel horse is my best and favourite.
What were you doing during London 2012?
I was competing and I won two bronze medals — in the team event and pommel horse. I wasn’t expecting to win anything but to be part of the first British team to win a gymnastics medal in 100 years was amazing. I haven’t really done anything special yet with my medals — they are just on the sofa at home!
Who was your hero growing up?
I really didn’t have one. I didn’t even have posters on my walls, nothing. I know that is unusual.
What are your dreams and hope for Rio 2016?
Getting there will be tough. There were 15 of us going for five places in London and it will be more now. Assuming I do, I want to get medals in the pommel and all-round.
Tell us something interesting about yourself...
I swam a lot when I was young and had to pick between that and gymanstics when I was nine.
VIDEO Max Whitlock on his Road to Rio 2016
As well as funding the Road to Rio athletes, every week National Lottery players raise over £30 million for arts, heritage, charity, community projects and grass roots sports clubs and facilities. Find out where your money goes at www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-2279305/Rio-Olympics-2016-British-athletes-followed-Sportsmail.html#ixzz2L2WSjFC6
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