Berkshire


<p>Wimbledon and the Euros are officially out the way which can only mean one thing. It&#8217;s <a href="https://www.teamgb.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Olympic</a> time! Me? I can&#8217;t get enough of it. All those tales of sacrifice, the sobs on the podium, that wonderful feeling of being British and the ‘oh-my-god-we’re-actually-winning medals&#8217; reactions. You can&#8217;t beat it. But what I love more is the new talent coming through and some of them are homegrown in Berkshire.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/BD_TeamGB_Sailing_Launch_Capture_0055.jpg" alt="olympic games paris team gb" class="wp-image-68704" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/BD_TeamGB_Sailing_Launch_Capture_0055.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/BD_TeamGB_Sailing_Launch_Capture_0055-800x600.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/BD_TeamGB_Sailing_Launch_Capture_0055-400x300.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/BD_TeamGB_Sailing_Launch_Capture_0055-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Team GB</figcaption></figure>



<p>This year, Team GB&#8217;s class of 2024 consists of 327 athletes set to compete across 24 different sports. Out of them, 169 are returning Olympians and 74 already have an Olympic medal to their name. You&#8217;ll find us screaming the roof down from behind our TV screens. But before then, buckle up and meet your local Team GB stars.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tom-dean-24-maidenhead"><a href="https://www.teamgb.com/athlete/tom-dean/3YlPkuOiQ9PdPnGQemmk5O">Tom Dean</a>, 24, Maidenhead</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/tom-dean.jpg" alt="Tom Dean, 24, Maidenhead olympic games paris" class="wp-image-68709" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/tom-dean.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/tom-dean-800x600.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/tom-dean-400x300.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/tom-dean-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Team GB (Tom Dean &#8211; Right)</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-swimming-200m-freestyle-amp-relay-squads">Swimming – 200m Freestyle &amp; Relay Squads</h3>



<p>Tom nearly didn&#8217;t make it to Tokyo 2020 when he contracted coronavirus for the second time in January – a setback mentally and physically. But the swimmer in fact went on to win gold in the 200m Freestyle. About 70 of Tom&#8217;s family, former coaches and friends gathered in his mum&#8217;s garden in Maidenhead to watch the race in the early hours, with a video of their celebrations going viral. The swimmer first came onto the scene in 2018, and at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Japan, Dean walked away with a staggering four medals.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mallory-franklin-30-windsor"><a href="https://www.teamgb.com/athlete/mallory-franklin/1ITCFmgJRnQsPhWqhFWZTh">Mallory Franklin</a>, 30, Windsor</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/mallory-franklin.jpg" alt="olympic games paris Mallory Franklin, 30, Windsor" class="wp-image-68707" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/mallory-franklin.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/mallory-franklin-800x600.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/mallory-franklin-400x300.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/mallory-franklin-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Team GB</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-canoe-slalom-c1-amp-kayak-cross">Canoe Slalom C1 &amp; Kayak Cross</h3>



<p>Britain&#8217;s most successful female canoeist needs no introduction. Windsor native Mallory Franklin is an Olympic legend, having secured a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 games in the first ever Olympic women&#8217;s C1 race. She certainly knows a thing or two about winning medals (hm, hm, 16 World Championship shiners). This year she’ll be taking part in her usual Canoe Slalom alongside a brand-new event – the Kayak Cross. The race sees a combination of all white-water disciplines, with competitors racing in identical plastic creek boats. And Mallory is eyeballing that gold, hard.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-charlie-elwes-27-newbury"><a href="https://www.teamgb.com/athlete/charles-elwes/1qGAbaYLKsajjN9MQkGebi">Charlie Elwes</a>, 27, Newbury</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/charles-elwes.jpg" alt="olympic games paris Charlie Elwes, 27, Newbury" class="wp-image-68705" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/charles-elwes.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/charles-elwes-800x600.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/charles-elwes-400x300.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/charles-elwes-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Team GB</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rowing-men-s-eights">Rowing – Men&#8217;s Eights</h3>



<p>Row, row, row your boat and let that six-pack ripple in Team GB Lycra. Originally from Newbury, Charlie is medal hunting at Paris 2024 in the Men&#8217;s Eights. As a member of Henley&#8217;s prestigious Leander Club, which sits on the very edge of Berkshire, he&#8217;s aiming to add another medal to the club’s staggering collection. He swooped bronze at the last games so watch this space.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-amber-rutter-26-windsor"><a href="https://www.teamgb.com/athlete/amber-hill/6XRxBXwle2U2eGp4ICPzru">Amber Rutter</a>, 26, Windsor</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-16-at-12.12.25.png" alt="amber rutter berkshire olympian" class="wp-image-68926" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-16-at-12.12.25.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-16-at-12.12.25-800x800.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-16-at-12.12.25-400x400.png 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-16-at-12.12.25-768x768.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-16-at-12.12.25-500x500.png 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Instagram: amberjohill</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shooting-skeet">Shooting – Skeet </h3>



<p>Amber Rutter (formerly Hill), who has been shooting since she was 10, became the youngest ever Skeet World Cup gold medallist at 15, and was the youngest member of the Team GB shooting squad at Rio 2016. She was hotly tipped for a gold medal going into Tokyo 2020 as World No 1 in the Skeet (basically, fast clay shooting). But poor Amber didn&#8217;t even make it onto the plane, pulling out after contracting the dreaded Covid-19. The 26-year-old from Windsor now has unfinished business going into Paris 2024. But a lot has changed since Tokyo. Superwoman Amber will be heading to the Olympics this year just three months after giving birth to her son Tommy. Talk about badass.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nick-park-25-reading"><a href="https://www.teamgb.com/athlete/nick-park/1yv8TCHvvfBfiUEhEchxey">Nick Park</a>, 25, Reading</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="665" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/nick-park-copy.jpg" alt="olympic games paris Nick Park, 25, Reading" class="wp-image-68708" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/nick-park-copy.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/nick-park-copy-800x532.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/nick-park-copy-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/nick-park-copy-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Team GB</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hockey">Hockey</h3>



<p>Growing up in Caversham Park, Nick barely even knew what hockey was. It was certainly not something offered at Highdown School. It was only by chance that he happened to pick up a stick after his sister attended a hockey trial. And now, he’s heading to Paris as one of seven debutants in a 16-strong men’s squad. Nick will make up a key part of the defence and is keen on inspiring other young people from a similar state school background to follow in his giant Olympic footsteps.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-charlotte-purdue-33-windsor"><a href="https://www.teamgb.com/athlete/charlotte-purdue/2qVnG7wQXX6UFBHeQICLIa">Charlotte Purdue</a>, 33, Windsor</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="931" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/charlotte-purdue.jpeg" alt="olympic games paris Charlotte Purdue, 33, Windsor" class="wp-image-68706" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/charlotte-purdue.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/charlotte-purdue-800x745.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/charlotte-purdue-400x372.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/charlotte-purdue-768x715.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-athletics-marathon">Athletics &#8211; Marathon</h3>



<p>Fan favourite Charlotte Purdue will be running a mile or two at this year’s games. In fact, an entire marathon to be exact. But Charlotte wasn’t always into running. As a child she was more of a tutu kinda gal, doing ballet to a very high standard before giving it up at age 10. Now, her 14-year career has seen her rise from British junior record holder over 10,000 metres to become synonymous with the hallowed 26.2-mile distance. She only did her first marathon in 2016, and last year she smashed the Olympic standard with a time of 2 hours, 22 minutes and 17 seconds, taking her to second on the British all-time list behind only Paula Radcliffe.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tom-digby-29-henley-on-thames"><a href="https://www.teamgb.com/athlete/tom-digby/EEHTmYe5MlOxXPfXYREfX">Tom Digby</a>, 29, Henley-on-Thames</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/tom-digby.jpg" alt="olympic games paris Tom Digby, 29, Henley-on-Thames" class="wp-image-68710" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/tom-digby.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/tom-digby-800x600.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/tom-digby-400x300.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/tom-digby-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Team GB</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rowing-men-s-eights-0">Rowing &#8211; Men&#8217;s Eights</h3>



<p>Hailing from just a smidge over the border in Henley, Tom will be rowing his way to gold for his Olympic debut in the men’s eights alongside Charlie Elwes. Having grown up watching the prestigious Royal Regatta every year with his family, Tom went on to win the event four times before joining the GB Rowing Team in 2021. His mum was always his biggest supporter, watching him become a double world champion before she devastatingly passed away in December 2023 from breast cancer. We’re with you all the way Tom!</p>


Team GB! Meet your Berkshire Olympic giants going for gold

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