Mattacks completes final junior year with a double gold
Britain’s best young para-athletics talent were back in action at Activity Alliance’s National Junior Athletics Championships in Coventry at the weekend.
Eighty hopefuls competed in the first meet for young disabled athletes since restrictions lifted and Bath’s Joel Mattacks was among the talent who took gold, winning in both 100m and the long jump.
Mattacks, 18, takes part in athletics as part of Bath Athletics Club where, despite his young age, he has trained hard to compete at the highest level possible. Following an incredible competition flush with medals, he says he cannot wait to compete again and keep trying to improve. Reflecting on his achievement and the thrill of competing in the events he loves.
Mattacks said: “It felt quite nice to win, it’s my last year as a junior so I wanted to go out and win both. I wanted to get my sixth and seventh national title so to get them is amazing. My training has been going really well so I knew I had it in me.
“It’s good to have got a personal best at these championships as it shows I’m in good shape even with the bad weather. I know I’ve easily got way over 6m in me if I can do what I’ve been doing in training in a competition.
“Without any competitions for so long, it’s been hard getting back into it but I really enjoy competing, so it’s been really good to get back into it. If I stay fit and healthy my aim is to get to World Para Senior Championships next year for long jump, and then the 2024 Paralympics in Paris for long jump and 400m.”
This talent seen on track and field continues year on year and many elite athletes began their own success at the prestigious event, including Hannah Cockroft, Hollie Arnold, Aled Davies and Kare Adenegan. They are among many other recognised athletes to have recently been announced as part of the Paralympicsgb team for the upcoming Games in Tokyo.
World record holder and five-time Paralympic gold medallist, Hannah Cockroft said: “The National Junior Championships gave me a real taste of proper competition. I knew after that I wanted to experience this more, on an even bigger scale, so it gave me the hunger to train hard and make the senior teams.
“You’re surrounded by athletes that are a similar age to yourself but who all take the sport as seriously as you do. You’re literally in with the best juniors in Britain. And so many athletes go from the National Junior Championships to future National and international GB teams.”
Barry Horne, Chief Executive for Activity Alliance added: “It is so important that disabled athletes have more opportunities to compete against their peers from across the country and the National Junior Athletics Championships provides just that.
“When you see the list of recognised para-athletics champions, who once took part in this very event as juniors, you realise how essential competitions like this are. It is the biggest competition of its kind, and we are very proud to be getting our events back up and running again.”
Partnerships ensure Activity Alliance can have a greater impact on more disabled people’s lives. If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities through our events programme, please contact Jannine Walker, National Events Manager – jannine@activityalliance.org.uk or 07725 273158.