This year, three talented young athletes from Norfolk and Suffolk have been chosen to receive £5,000 of funding from the Ron Harrod Foundation, including Kieran Mitchell – a talented skier from Taverham, near Norwich.
Kieran is an enthusiastic member of The Cross Collective ski cross team and Norfolk Snowsports Club, where he is a member of the race team. He also attends Renkeido judo club and TPF-Parkour in Norwich.
The 11-year-old represents the Norfolk race team both regionally and nationally and plans to use this funding for a training camp with The Cross Collective to allow him to compete abroad.
Kieran has won several awards and was also selected to join the GBX Ski Cross Home Nations Academy aged nine. He has also been in the top five at the All England Championships for the last two years.
“He’s a young man with great potential who has already achieved so much. With funding, he could go far.” – Jack Herbert, Ron Harrod Foundation judge
“I have just moved up an age group and I would like to do well again this season, but most of all I would like to do well in the British Championships this year. I am also hoping to attend all regional and national races and the All England Championship later this year.” – Kieran Mitchell.
Harrod Sport invited nominations from the public in autumn 2018 and Kieran was nominated for the funding by his father, Dale.
“I suffer from multiple sclerosis and no longer work so the main challenges for us are the funding of all the equipment Kieran needs and the different dry slope training camps and races in the UK he requires to keep him at a competitive level. He would not have been able to train and compete abroad without the help of this funding.” – Dale Mitchell
The Ron Harrod Foundation has been created by Harrod Sport to champion young local talent and support promising local athletes, aged under 25, who face challenges funding their sporting career.
Everyone at Snowsport England is delighted with the news – congratulations Kieran!
To find out more about the winners’ stories, visit the website.