Paddy powers to BMX glory
Paddy Sharrock is a wheely talented young man!
He has just won the National BMX Championship for the second year in a row.
The 10-year-old from Spring View, who started racing regionally at the age of just four-and-a-half and nationally at six, picked up the title after amassing more points than anyone else over the 12 rounds of
riding, the last heat being held in Preston.
His mum Catherine said: "We're all very proud of him."
He was denied the chance to add the British BMX Championship to his trophy cabinet after crashing in a competition down in Peterborough, when he had been hotly-tipped to lift the crown.
Sharrock is now backed by Shanaze Reade, the world ladies champion from Crewe, whose own sponsor supplies him with bikes and kit, and is determined to help her protege follow her onto the world stage.
Reade was tipped to win Olympic gold in Beijing in the summer – the first time BMX riding has been included as an Olympic sport – only to see her hopes dashed when she crashed out in the final.
Sharrock has been under Reade's wing for the past 12 months and is hoping to send him to the continent over the winter to broaden his horizons, with the aim of him stepping up and competing in the European Championships next year. At the moment, Sharrock regularly competes in the north west region against boys older than him, and has recently tasted success in the 12-year-old section.
He rides for fun at local BMX parks but, with the profile of BMX riding getting bigger all the time, he is ultimately aiming for Olympic glory himself – although 2010 might come four years too soon for him.
Catherine added: "We're always looking for sponsors because it's really expensive taking him all over the country to compete in places like Bournemouth."
Sharrock will again be in the running for next month's Wigan Sports Awards, having been a runner-up last year.
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Weather for Wigan
Thursday 02 September 2010
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 22 C
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Wind direction: East
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Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
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