Olympic and Paralympic stars hope to inspire young people in the region

Leeds hosted a special homecoming event for the athletes on Sunday (10th October)

Author: Hannah NorburyPublished 11th Oct 2021

Olympic and Paralympic stars from Leeds are hoping to inspire the next generation.

A special homecoming event, to honour the athletes, took place at Leeds First Direct arena.

Kadeena Cox, 4 x Paralympian medallist from Leeds said:

"Always reminding people never to give up on their dreams. I was a 14 year old girl, who wanted to an Olympian, and I'm stood here now as a Paralympian, having had a stroke, having had an MS diagnosis, and I never let any of that get the better of me.

"Having that dream, never let anyone take that away from you, because of your background, where you've grown up, nothing should ever stop you."

Paralympic rower Ellen Buttrick said:

"I tried everything at school, I was never good at anything, and then when I was 17 I tried rowing, I finally found the thing I was good at.

"I want to spend time in Yorkshire and go around schools, because if you see someone you think, maybe I can be like them.

"I want to be a role model and I hope that I can be and they can see that someone from a normal family in Leeds, can get to the international stage and win a medal."

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