Proud Serena Blackburn with her bronze medal
Local athlete Serena Blackburn has scooped a bronze medal representing Great Britain in the prestigious Deaflympics, held in China.
Competing in Taipei, Serena delivered an impressive performance in the women’s marathon category, finishing third behind her Swedish and Japanese opponents in just 04:03:08.
Recent sportswoman of the year Serena, from Horsforth, was earlier this year faced with the shattering prospect of not being able to attend the games when she struggled to raise the cash to fund her trip to Taipei.
Serena approached Leeds Society for Deaf and Blind People for help in fundraising enough money to secure a place in the games she had trained so hard for.
Serena commented: “Without the help of Leeds Society and the generous donations from the public and local businesses, I really would not have been able to even take part. The Deaflympics are the pinnacle of any Deaf athlete’s career, something which I had trained so hard for; so to come home with a bronze medal is really quite overwhelming.
“This was the hardest marathon I have ever done; my preparation started in the early hours before running in 34 degrees heat. The humidity was almost unbearable and by the end, my whole body ached, but it was so worth it and I would do it all over again.”
Taipei was the latest in a string of accomplishments for the runner, having previously won a bronze medal in Turkey in the First Deaf World Athletics Championships and in the European Cross Country Championships in Portugal, where she ran as part of a women’s team.
Rob Young, director of Leeds Society for Deaf and Blind People said: “Serena is a true inspiration to everyone and we’re all very proud of what she has accomplished. We strive so hard to help people with disabilities to achieve their ambitions and Serena is a shining example of how people can make their dreams a reality.
“As a society, we endeavour to be accessible to all our service users and help everyone in the best way we can. Through our fundraising efforts and the dedication of our fantastic staff, we support hundreds of Deaf, blind and deafblind people in the Yorkshire region and work hard to enrich lives and encourage their integration and equality within the wider community.”
To help Leeds Society continue funding Deaf and blind people’s dreams, please contact James or Lindsey in the fundraising department on 0113 200 5271.
Visit www.leedsdeafandblind.org.uk for more information or to donate online.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
