Paris Olympics: Guildford girl, nine, to be Team GB mascot

Dora McHardy will be a Team GB mini mascot at the Paris Olympics

A nine-year-old girl from Surrey has been selected to be one of Team GB's mini mascots at the Paris Olympics.

Dora McHardy, from Guildford, is one of six children aged five to 11 chosen to support the squad in events leading up to the games in July.

Dora plays football for Milford Pumas and Surrey Nomads and is a member of Wey Valley Swimming Club.

She said she was "really excited and happy" at being chosen.

"We had to make a video about how we love the Olympics and our love for sport," Dora said. "I put in all the different sports that I like and how I wanted to support Team GB."

Dora is a keen footballer and swimmer

Her mother Briar McHardy said she and Dora used the video to show the range of sports Dora took part in.

"She decided to get out all her outfits, her judo outfit and her football kit and we just took lots of clips of all the sports she loves and put it all together," said Ms McHardy.

Describing the moment they heard Dora had been picked, she said: "We were in the car and we all screamed. My other daughter read out the email and we were very excited."

Dora and her fellow mini mascots have already met Olympic medallist Mallory Franklin

Dora, who goes to school in Godalming, will be at the team's official kitting out in Birmingham and take part in local team announcements.

She has already met Mallory Franklin, who won silver in canoeing at the Tokyo games in 2021.

Dora hopes she will one day have the chance to compete in a future Olympics.

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