Gallery puts brave face of athlete who beat injury on national display

Diver Tom Daley, Sheffield-born heptathlete Jessica Ennis and double Olympic swimming champion Rebecca Adlington are among the athletes, politicians and builders who posed for photographers Brian Griffin and Bettina von Zwehl.

Among the 30 new portraits are Ennis, who went from the heartbreak of a fractured ankle ruling her out of the 2008 Olympics just five weeks before it began to winning the world title a year later.

Ennis said: "I personally draw inspiration from my injury. When I think about those days, it makes me feel really thankful for what I've got."

A total of 100 commissions will go on show, in phases during summer exhibitions, at the National Portrait Gallery, London, in the run-up to 2012. The exhibition, backed by BT, runs until September 26 at the National Portrait Gallery.

Minister for Sport and the Olympics Hugh Robertson made a whistlestop visit to Yorkshire yesterday. He met some of the country's top athletes and coaches at the English Institute of Sport Sheffield as well as visiting Halifax to see young cricketers at Ling Bob Junior School.