Jamie Kelly brings home gold

Proud Jamie with the Gold!

A remarkable 20-year-old from Rochdale, who only began swimming competitively four years ago, has brought home gold medals from both the Special Olympics and the Mencap Nationals.

Jamie Kelly, who lives with his grandparents in Rochdale, won a gold medal for the 200m medley and a silver for the 200m freestyle at the Special Olympics in Leicester in July. He then went on to scoop a further gold and silver medal in the Mencap Nationals in Sheffield three weeks later.

In addition to the medals, Jamie, who was named Disabled Sports Achiever of the Year in February of this year, also attained his personal best in all events.

After winning four gold medals for Great Britain in the 2008 Sardinia Summer Games, he was voted Top Swimmer in the North West for 2009 by the coaches of the Northwest Special Olympics Team and selected to swim at the 2009 National Special Olympics and the International Special Olympics in 2011.

Guinness Northern Counties, the Kelly family’s landlord for the last 30 years, contributed to Jamie’s ongoing success with funding of £640 this year but it’s a combination of steely determination and a gruelling training schedule that has propelled Jamie forward in his sporting career, helped by the support of his family.

Peter Kelly, Jamie’s grandfather, said: “He has mild learning difficulties affecting his short term memory and this makes it hard for him to remember what he has been told to do in his training, but he’s got where he has through sheer hard work and determination. We’re all very proud of him and keeping our hopes up for more success at the International Special Olympics.”

Jamie, a former pupil of Alderman Kay Special Needs School in Middleton, trains six days a week. When he’s not training, Jamie teaches swimming on a voluntary basis to adults with learning difficulties and children aged from 3-7 years.