Preston’s most famous sporting products are Sir Tom Finney and Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff.

One has sadly passed and the other is now retired and appears to be moving swiftly into the world of TV appearances.

Advertisements

So who are the next generation of sporting stars from the city?

These five talents are competing at a top level in rugby union, swimming and athletics.

Jack Bridge

Jack is the only swimmer on our list. But he’s definitely deserving of his place here; although Jack lives with a rare medical condition called haemophilia, he hasn’t let that stop him from achieving success in his sport.

The former Hutton Grammar School pupil began his journey as a swimmer at the early age of four.

Since then, he’s appeared in the London 2012 Paralympic Games – placing 4th for the 100m breaststroke, which should accurately illustrate his rise as an athlete.

Sam Miller

Another athlete educated at Hutton Grammar School; through hard work and determination, Sam has worked his way into the Great British team in the European Championships.

Running a personal best of 20.79 seconds in the 200m, it’s no surprise that this rising talent has been named to represent GB.

However, it wasn’t always easy for Sam; he battled through injuries and many diversions to achieve success after 12 years.

He’s proof that hard works pays off – and we’re sure that his club, Preston Harriers, will back this up.

Mike Haley

The first name on our list, and for good reason. Educated at Hutton Grammar School, Mike has worked his way up from being Captain of his school and club teams (Preston Grasshoppers), to representing Sale Sharks as a professional Rugby Union player.

In fact, after impressing on a tour of South Africa with England Saxons, Mike has even been called up to the senior England Rugby Union squad.

Many rugby fans will no-doubt be familiar with his name by now. And we’re looking forward to seeing more from this rising talent.

Richard de Carpentier

Richard de Carpentier is a professional rugby union and England Sevens athlete. Educated at Broughton Primary School and Kirkham Grammar School, he’s been around the world plying his trade for his country.

He’s gained recognition for his great form by being awarded the ‘England Sevens Player of the Year’ in 2017. And while it should come as no surprise that Richard is on our list – many might not have known he was raised in Preston.

Nichola Jackson

The final athlete on our list, Nichola is representing the female athletes from Preston here. Educated in All Hallows High School and the University of Hull, Nichola has recently earned a spot in the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships (representing Great Britain).

Nichola is another athlete that cut her teeth at Preston Harriers, with a great record of achieving success in numerous events. From being the VP Sport at Hull University to stepping onto the world stage as a long distance runner.

This post originally appeared by Sei Kato who went to Hutton Grammar School on leanbulking