Local Olympic and Paralympic heroes honoured

Newlyweds Hannah Cockroft and Nathan Maguire were at the reception in Leeds

Athletes from West Yorkshire who took part in this summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris have been honoured at a civic reception in Leeds.

Guests invited to the event at Leeds Civic Hall included nine-times Paralympic gold medallist Hannah Cockcroft and her new husband, fellow wheelchair racer Nathan Maguire. The couple married at Halifax Minster last weekend.

Leeds gymnasts Harry Hepworth and Luke Whitehouse were joined in the banqueting hall by divers Lois Toulson, from Cleckheato, Harrogate's Jack Laugher, and Anthony Harding and Yona Knight-Wisdom, from Leeds.

The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Abigail Marshall Katung, said it was a "well-deserved celebration of their achievements".

The event was held at Leeds Civic Hall

Also at the ceremony, organised by Leeds City Council with support from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, were Guillaume Junior Atangana, who is visually impaired, and his guide runner Donard Nyamjua.

They spoke to the audience of about 100 people, sharing their insights into their experiences at the Games.

Other speakers included Ed Anderson, HM Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire; Councillor Salma Arif, the council's executive member for adult social care; Mariana Pexton, interim chief executive of the council; and Alison Lowe, West Yorkshire's deputy mayor for policing and crime.

Ms Arif said: "Leeds, and indeed West Yorkshire as a whole, is hugely passionate about sport and that was reflected in the excitement generated earlier this year by the Olympics and the Paralympics.

"As a city and a county, we have a superb range of sports facilities and an excellent record of staging high-profile sporting events.

"Add in the natural talent and determination that is in Yorkshire’s DNA and it’s no wonder that we keep producing sportsmen and sportswomen who are at the very top of their respective games."

'Hurricane' Hannah Cockcroft is a nine times gold medal winner

Ms Abigail Marshall Katung said: "Their stories gave us a real flavour of what it’s like to compete at the highest level of sport, with all the rewards and challenges that can bring.

"It was also great to hear about the dedicated work that is done by coaches and volunteers with our athletes – from grassroots to elite - as they help them realise their sporting dreams. Thank you for making us all so proud."

The council said local competitors have had notable success at some of the world’s biggest sporting events, with Yorkshire famously outperforming countries such as Jamaica, Spain and Brazil at the London 2012 Olympics.

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