A 13-year-old paraswimmer from Salford has been awarded one of the country’s first ever bursaries to support the next generation of sporting talent.
Moorside High School pupil Jack Sheffield has been swimming since the age of three, and joined the City of Salford Swimming Club at just eight.
For Jack, living with ADHD and autism has been difficult, but the prospect of becoming yet another world-class Salford swimmer continues to drive him.
He’s one of only 11 young North West sports stars to get access to the ‘Backing The Best’ fund of up to £5,000 to help level the playing field in junior sport.
The money can be used to pay for accommodation, travel expenses, nutrition and medical bills.
Mum Pauline Curley told SalfordOnline.com: “Jack doesn’t let his ADHD and autism hold him back.
“He just adores swimming and trains five or six nights a week at local pools.
“He’s sacrificed a lot of what teenage boys normally get up to so he can concentrate on his dream of competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.”
Jack smashed PBs in Glasgow last month
Jack seems to be coming good at the right time, picking up three golds and three silvers in the Para Swimming Nationals in December 2015.
And on day five of the April Paralympic trials in Glasgow the young star cracked 30 seconds for the first time in the 50m freestyle, hitting 29.85s.
As one of the youngest swimmers at the international meet, Jack also posted a new personal best of 2:48.24 in the 200 metres individual medley.
Pauline added: “Being a single parent means that things can be tough at at times, it can cost up to £13 a time for him to enter a race when he is competing.
“When we were in Glasgow for the Paralympic trials there were hotel bills and travelling expenses to pay so the bursary will be a massive help to both me and Jack.”
Supporting a young sports star through to Olympic level can be ruinously expensive – even for well-off families.
SportAid research released earlier this year found the rising cost of becoming a star has led to some of the country’s best up-and-coming talent dropping out.
Sport England director of sport, Phil Smith, said: “As well as encouraging more people to play sport and be active, Sport England’s job is to help identify and develop talented athletes.
“But being talented can be expensive, as the cost of travelling to competitions and the essential coaching needed can mount up.
“Backing The Best has been designed to give a helping hand to those who need it – so that ability and attitude are the only criteria for success, and not money.
“Ultimately, we want our national teams to be truly representative of our country, rather than just those that can afford to reach the top.”
