Leeds's Paralympic champions tell of pride at bringing home medals
The wheelchair sprinter, who won three gold medals in Rio, is among a host of Paralympic stars from Leeds who are touring the city centre tomorrow, including Kadeena Cox, David Stone and Ali Jawab.
Miss Cockroft, from Halifax, told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “My message has always been that you can do whatever you put your mind to.
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Hide Ad“The four years training were worth it, I actually did what a lot of people said I couldn’t do.”
The 24-year-old said she is proud to be from Yorkshire, and that she wore earrings with the region’s white rose on when racing in Rio.
She said: “I think Yorkshire is now being recognised as a sporting superpower, with the likes of myself, Nicola Adams and the Brownlee brothers.
“Yorkshire people don’t like to get left behind and we find a way to win.”
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Hide AdFellow Paralympic champion Kadeena Cox, from Leeds, won two gold medals at the games in athletics and cycling.
The victory came just two years after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
She said the support she received from home helped spur her on at the games in Rio. Miss Cox said: “Winning the medals was overwhelming because it is what I have worked for over the last 18 months.
“I had pretty much taken myself from my hospital bed so actually achieving it is amazing. The support I have had has been great.
“Knowing that I had the support of people while I was there was amazing.”
The pair will celebrate at the parade in Leeds tomorrow night.