Meet the athletes from Norfolk and Suffolk representing Team GB

Eight top athletes from our region are competing in Tokyo

Giarnni Regini-Moran
Author: Victoria ThielePublished 23rd Jul 2021

Today, the Olympics begin for eight top athletic talents from Norfolk and Suffolk. Find out which familiar faces we might see on the podium.

Giarnni Regini-Moran

Born in Great Yarmouth, living in Kent

22-year-old Giarnni Regini-Moran is taking part in gymnastics.

Giarnni started competing when he was just six years old.

In 2016, he was crowned all-around and floor champion during the Junior European Championship, a highlight in his career.

After an injury, he made his return at the 2019 British Championship by winning all-around silver, followed by bronze on the vault at the 2021 European Championships.

He says his favourite sportsman is British football legend David Beckham.

Sophie McKinna

Gorleston

Sophie McKinna, 26, will hit the field for the shot put.

The Olympics mark the ten-year anniversary of her first gold medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Before Tokyo, 2019 was a spectacular year for Sophie, when she became British Indoor and Outdoor Champion. In the same year, she threw her personal bests both indoor (17.97 metres) and outdoor (18.61m).

During the pandemic, she kept training from her own back garden.

This worked so well for her that she secured her ticket to Tokyo by throwing a season's best of 18.28 at the British Athletics Championship in Manchester.

Aaron Heading

Born in King's Lynn, living in Long Sutton

34-year-old Aaron Heading will represent England and Great Britain in Trap shooting.

As a boy, he carried the cartridges for his father and brother, who fuelled his passion for shooting. At age 9, he got his first shotgun certificate.

When he discovered Olympic Trap soon after, it was love at first shot.

He has since won medals in competitions from Delhi to Brisbane, and brought home bronze in several World Championships.

When he is not on the pitch, he volunteers as Coastguard Rescuer.

Lauren Hemp

North Walsham

Footballer Lauren Hemp, 20, is the youngest Norfolk olympian.

In 2019, Lauren dipped her toes into senior England water as a 86th-minute substitute in a friendly match against Portugal.

She is best known for playing as a forward for Manchester City, and is rated as a young athlete with great potential: In 2020, UEFA named her as one of the ten most promising young players in Europe.

Suffolk Athletes

Ethan Waddleton

Ipswich

Ethan Waddleton, 24, is a rugby union player.

In 2018, he helped the England team win bronze at the Commonwealth Games.

Sports run in his blood: His mum Karla played in the national hockey league for Ipswich and the East of England.

In 2019 and 2020, knee injuries kept him off the pitch twice, but now he is back and ready for Tokyo.

Hannah Martin

Ipswich

26-year-old Hannah Martin will fight for gold as a midfielder on the hockey team.

When she was eight years old, she picked up her first hockey stick, following the example of her brother Harry Martin.

This was the start of a career that led her straight to South Africa, where she made her international debut in 2017.

The same year, she won her first bronze medal in the European Championships in Amsterdam.

Charley Davison

Lowestoft

Charley Davison, 27, steps in the ring as an Olympic boxer.

It is her second stint in professional boxing - originally, she retired in 2012 to start a family.

Seven years later, she went to the gym just to lose some weight, and found herself winning the England national championship.

The daughter of a fisherman became the first girl in a "Boys Only" gym when she was nine.

Now, she says she fights for her own children.

In an interview with the Guardian, she said: "Before I get into that ring all I think about is them three children. This is not just for me. It’s for them as well. This could change my life as well as theirs if I was to get a medal at the Olympics."

Callum Wilkinson

Moulton

24-year-old Callum Wilkinson will compete in 20 km race walking.

In 2016, he won his first gold medal on 10 km in Poland.

He went on to bring home bronze from a 20 km walk during the 2019 European Athletics U23 Championships in Sweden.

In 2020, he broke the British record for walking 10 km in under 40 minutes. Now he hopes to follow up on that success in Tokyo.

The East Anglian Daily Times already named him one of Suffolk's 30 under 30.

Who are Team GB's medal hopefuls?

Max Whitlock - Gymnastics

Max Whitlock is a five-time Olympic medallist already. He won three bronze medals at London 2012 and two golds in Rio 2016. He'll be hoping for gold on the pommel horse in Tokyo

Giles Scott - Sailing

Giles Scott will be hoping to replicate his Rio 2016 form where he won gold for Team GB in the Finn Class sailing event. He totally dominated the event in 2016, ensuring victory with a day to spare!

Jade Jones - Taekwondo

Jades Jones is looking for her third gold medal in a row in Tokyo. She already has golds in Taekwondo from London 2012 and Rio 2016.

Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny - Cycling

This couple has 11 Olympic medals between them already! Laura Kenny has won four in the Omnium and the Team Pursuit. Jason Kenny has won 6 golds and a silver across the last three Olympics.

Adam Peaty - Swimming

Adam Peaty holds the world record for 50 and 100 metre breaststroke, he also won gold in the 100 metre breaststroke at the 2016 Olympics and is a real favourite to take the gold again in Tokyo

Dina Asher-Smith - Athletics

Dina Asher-Smith is the fastest British woman ever recorded! She won the 200m world championship in 2019 and won a bronze medal with Team GB for the 4x100m relay in Rio.

Sky Brown - Skateboarding

Sky Brown will be competing for Team GB in one of the new sports - Skateboarding. At just 13 she will be the youngest ever British olympian, but as she won a bronze medal at the World Skateboarding championship back in 2019, she's a favourite for a medal.

What new sports are there going to be in Tokyo?

Skateboarding

There will be two events for skateboarding at the Tokyo games - Park and Street.

Karate

Karate has been added to the list of sports at this year's Olympics

Sport climbing

Climbing will be a sport at the Tokyo games, it will combine speed climbing, bouldering and lead climbing.

Surfing

Surfing is another sport making a debut at the Olympics this year, with competitors heading to Shidshita beach to compete

Baseball

Technically baseball isn't brand new to the Olympics, but it's the first time it's been included since Beijing games in 2008

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.