Could Chapman be a Dubai Champ?

Longcroft student Jessica Chapman, age 12, is due to compete in the biathlon World Championships held in Dubai this month (October). From her outstanding hard work and determination to train and succeed, her positions in events prior to this fantastic achievement have been brilliant. With a record of two 6th places and two 4th places in her previous 4 biathlons, her results seem to be improving giving her all the more chance of success in Dubai.

With a biathlon being based on two events, running and swimming, Jess has had to train hard to reach where she is now. She said:  “I work on my running roughly 3 to 4 times a week, one of those times being a regular competition. I also practice my swimming around 8 hours a week! It’s hard, but I love it and it’s by far my favourite thing to do. It would be fantastic if I could make a career from it.’’

With plenty of support from her friends and family, Jess will be sure to make the Dubai competitions with confidence. Funds have been raised from bun sales and raffles in Longcroft itself, and with huge contributions from her relatives, such as her parents and Grandfather, the future looks bright for Jess. As well as those close to her, staff at the school, the PE teachers in particular, are very proud of her and her previous achievements, as well as those to come.

Mr Cassidy said:  “We’ve all seen the hard work and commitment Jess has shown to the sports she loves. Everyone at Longcroft wishes her luck and will be cheering her on as she competes for success in the World Championships.”

Jess believes this is something she can continue with for the rest of her childhood and well into her adult life. Her determination has shown nothing but willingness to succeed and she says the love she has for sports will not fade easily: ‘’I watch the Olympics non-stop when they’re held, and in the past I’ve seen athletes such as Kelly Holmes, who is one of my role models, competing to win medals for Great Britain. She was just a regular girl like me. Why wouldn’t I be able to achieve what someone like her has achieved? I don’t think there’s anything stopping me.’’

Jess will be going to Dubai a few days earlier than the event itself, held on the 30th October, so she can adjust to the new environment. The heat will bound to have more of an effect on Jess than in England, so it’s imperative that she knows what to expect in advance. She says it’s going to be very different from anything she’s ever experienced before, and how it’s most likely going to be a lot tougher, but there’s no chance of that dampening her spirit. Jess is excited to take her next step up and hopes to achieve the best she can in Dubai.

It would be fantastic if Jess’ hard work was to pay off with a great result in Dubai, and so all of Longcroft School, her friends and her family wish her the best of luck and have every faith in her to succeed.