Taking up the baton

TEAM effort . . . pupils from Failsworth School

5 More Image(s) In Gallery

A HOST of inspirational Oldhamers made history this week with one youngster taking a step closer to his Olympic dream.

Not only did 14-year-old wrestling hopeful Daniel Panczyszyn carry the Olympic torch, he also met sporting hero Sir Chris Hoy.

The Oasis Academy pupil — British Junior Wrestling Champion five times in a row — ran with the torch through Cheetham Hill on Saturday.

And he hooked up with Olympic cyclist Sir Chris, a fellow torchbearer, on the relay bus, boosting his desire to reach the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

He was nominated to carry the torch for his dedication to the sport and for setting up a wrestling club at Oasis Academy.

“It felt amazing to carry the torch,” said Daniel.

“Despite being too young to compete at the home Olympics, it was fantastic to be involved in the build-up to London 2012. It was one of the proudest moments of my life so far. The experience has given me a real push to train that bit harder and make sure I have a place in the 2016 Olympics.

“Some of the people who were taking part in the torch relay have done such incredible things, it really made an impression on me.”

Other inspirational Oldhamers to take up the baton of the Olympic torch relay around the North-West included Rachel Fox (20), a former Oldham Sixth Form College student who battled leukaemia as a youngster.

She carried the Olympic flame through Lancaster.

Natalie Williams (30), former head of PE at South Chadderton School, proudly paraded the torch between Blackburn and Accrington on Saturday, nominated because of her work to promote Olympic values in schools.

A host of sporty youngsters from Failsworth School were one of only a few torchbearing groups chosen to take part in the relay.

The pupils carried the flame through Ashton with pride.

Amazing Oldham College student Victoria Kinsley (19) who was left blind after an operation to remove a brain tumour, carried the torch through Levenshulme on Sunday.

Victoria was chosen as a torchbearer for overcoming a lifetime of challenges to become a student and winning an award for her starring role in a short film.

PC Harry Akram, of Failsworth and Hollinwood Neighbourhood Policing Team, carried the flame through Skipton, North Yorkshire, on Sunday.

He was plucked from thousands of torch hopefuls for his work with youth groups in Westwood and Coldhurst and his role as a schools officer in Royton and Shaw.


READ the full version of this story only in our print and eChron editions
Follow us on Twitter - @OldhamChronicle