HIGH VAULTAGE HOLLY TRIUMPHS
Bronze for battling veteran of Rio and London is a British first
FISTS clenched and her face a picture of determination as she drops back to earth, Holly Bradshsaw knows she’s on her way to clinching Team GB’s first ever pole vault medal.
She cleared 4.85metres to secure her a bronze – ending years that have called on every ounce of her resilience.
The 29-year-old came sixth at London 2012 and fifth in Rio four years later and faced world championship disappointment.
But she was determined to succeed in Tokyo and found ingenious ways to train at home during lockdown. One of her creative routines involved strapping a can of beans to a washing pole to make it heavier for pole drills in her garden.
‘I’ve had so many ups and downs, it’s something that I’ve wanted so bad and it’s finally happened,’ she said yesterday. ‘I’m proud of myself for sticking with it.
‘I knew I could get it one day, I just can’t express how grateful I am to be involved in this sport and finally get an Olympic medal.’
Her proud mother Debbie Bleasdale, 59, said: ‘I actually feel a little bit numb because we’ve been going through this for ten or 12 years with Holly going to competitions. And you always hope, but you never expect this to happen.’
The gold medal went to Katie Nageotte of the US. Miss Bradshaw’s bronze was matched by Liam Heath as he became Britain’s most successful paddler, collecting his fourth medal in three Olympics.
The 36-year-old from Guildford surged to third place in the canoe sprint, although a slow start scuppered his chances of successfully defending the gold he won at Rio 2016. He said: ‘It’s not quite the gold but I’m happy with my performance.’
Heath also has a gold and silver from Rio and a bronze from London 2021.
Heath was introduced to kayaking by his parents Lawrence and Linda when he was ten at a ‘holiday fun’ activity week at the Wey Kayak Club in Guildford.
Asked if he would now retire, Heath said it was ‘a big question’ which he would discuss with wife Emily. Yesterday Mrs Heath, 3 , said she is ‘desperate’ to be reunited with him, adding: ‘I’m more excited about getting him home than the fact that he’s got another medal.’