Silver lining to Bradly Sinden’s Olympic odyssey in taekwondo – The Yorkshire Post says

Yet the 22-year-old’s despair should not detract from his story of hope that took him from the South Yorkshire village of Stainforth to Japan.

He only took up the sport when his mum Sheryl, who describes herself on Twitter as a “Taekwondo-Taxi for Bradly”, was looking for an outlet for her hyperactive four-year-old son.

Little did she realise that the discipline of the intricate Korean martial art would help to channel her son’s boundless energy to such an extent that he would become one of the best practioners in the world and become inspired by Sarah Stevenson, also from Doncaster, and the bronze medal that she won at the 2008 Olympics.

But, while the focus at the Olympics is on the competitors, the Sindens epitomise the sacrifices that families – and loved ones – make in the pursuit of golden glory.

They raised money for pay for training camps, sought sponsorship and Mrs Sinden, a teaching assistant at Atlas Academy, spent countless hours driving her talented son to Manchester several times a week to further his dreams.

And it is why any initial disappointment on the part of the Sindens was replaced by immense pride as they spoke of the enduring value of sports like taekwondo, and the discipline that they demand, to local communities.

It’s a lesson which matters as much as the exemplary way in which Bradly Sinden has conducted himself as Yorkshire’s latest Olympian.

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