The achievements of the district’s Commonwealth Games medal winners have been celebrated at a civic reception hosted by the Mayor and Mayoress of the Borough of Harrogate.
The 2014 Commonwealth Games, which took place in Glasgow in July and August, saw nearly 5,000 athletes from the 71 nations and territories of the Commonwealth competing in 17 different sports. Four local sporting heroes returned from the games with seven medals between them.
Diver Jack Laugher from Littlethorpe near Ripon won gold medals in the 1 metre springboard diving and 3 metre springboard synchronised diving, and also took away silver in the 3 metre springboard, while fellow diver Harrogate-born Oliver Dingley took home bronze in the 3 metre springboard diving. Harrogate squash player Jenny Duncalf, won silver in the women’s doubles, while Harrogate swimmer Sophie Taylor achieved gold in the 100m breaststroke and silver in 4x100m medley relay.
Jack, Oliver and Jenny were welcomed at the reception which was held on Wednesday 24 September in the council chambers by the Mayor and Mayoress of the Borough of Harrogate, Councillor Jim Clark and Councillor Shirley Fawcett. Unfortunately, swimmer Sophie Taylor was unable to attend the event due to her current elite swimming training commitments.
The Mayor, Councillor Jim Clark, said: I would like to congratulate these young people for their sporting achievements and it is a real pleasure to hold this event in their honour. To reach the level that they have attained takes great dedication and commitment and they really must be commended. They are true ambassadors for their chosen sports and are role models for a whole generation of younger sports people who dream of one day emulating their success.
Councillor Pat Jones, Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism & Sports said: I am delighted to have had the opportunity to congratulate these sports people for their medal winning endeavours at the Commonwealth Games, and I am sure they have many more years of success ahead of them. The council is dedicated to providing the facilities and coaching for many children and young people to help them achieving sporting success, and these sportsmen today have shown just what is possible.
