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Manchester, a city known for its grit, its music, and of course, its legendary football teams, boasts another claim to fame: breeding ground for exceptional athletes. As the sporting world sets its sights on the Paris 2024 paralympics, Manchester's sporting tapestry is poised to be woven into the fabric of the Games.   From the hallowed halls of the National Cycling Centre, home of British Cycling, and the National Taekwondo Centre, home of GB Taekwondo, Manchester is a factory of talent. Here, we celebrate a few of these "Made in Manchester" athletes: Dame Sarah Storey (Track Cycling) This champion needs no introduction. Competing in what will be her 9th Games, Dame Sarah Storey is the most successful and decorated British Paralympian of all time, with 28 medals including 17 golds in swimming and cycling. No active Paralympian in any sport has won more, and she's not done yet. She is also Greater Manchester ‘s Active Travel Commissioner too, helping lead the way for healthier and happier Mancunians! Check out the full GB Track Cycling team here. Laurie Williams (Wheelchair Basketball) With a wealth of experience and a proven track record on the court, Williams is aiming to lead her team to Paralympic glory. Known for her speed and agility on the court, she has been a key contributor to the GB Basketball for years.  Greg warburton (Wheelchair Basketball) Known for his exceptional ball handling and court vision, Greg has been a stalwart of the Great Britain men's wheelchair basketball team. Greg is gearing up for a shot at Paralympic glory in Paris 2024. tully kearney mbe (swimming) Tully competes in the S5/SB3 classification and picked up Gold and Silver at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games setting World records in both the 50 m and 100 m freestyle. She studied at Manchester Metropolitan University for 4 years and compliments her swimming with frame-running at Manchester Regional Arena on the Etihad. ellie challis (Swimming) A silver medallist in Tokyo, and double gold medal winner in the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships, Ellie will be eyeing the paralympic gold in Paris. With her unwavering determination and exceptional talent, Ellie is poised to make a make another splash on the world stage. grace harvey (swimming) Grace has achieved podium success at multiple major internationals in recent years - swimming to a superb SB5 100m Breaststroke silver at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, and the following year becoming world champion in the event at Madeira 2022. Her determination and dedication to the sport, combined with her exceptional talent, will make her a force to be reckoned with in the pool.    poppy maskill (swimming) Named 2022 ‘Emerging Para-Swimmer of the Year’, Poppy claimed a medal of each colour on her international debut at the Madeira 2022 world championships. The following year, Maskill continued to establish herself on the global stage with a medal in all five of her events at the Manchester 2023 world championships including gold in the Mixed S14 4x100m Freestyle Relay. The Parisian podium should be no trouble for this emerging talent.   cameron vearnecombe (swimming) A finalist in Manchester in 2023, this S14 swimmer, recorded two multi-classification bronze medals - doubling up in the 100m Butterfly and 200m Individual Medley - on the fourth night of the 2024 Aquatics GB Swimming Championships, having opened the year with a trio of medals at the Aberdeen World Series event. Cameron is all set to break waves in Paris. matt bush (taekwondo) Matt Bush, a Paralympic Taekwondo powerhouse from Great Britain, became Britain’s first ever male Para taekwondo athlete to win World Championship gold in 2019. With a flurry of medals in the past year, including Gold at the 2023 World Championships, a Gold at the Grand Prix in China in 2023 and a Bronze at the European Championships 2024 in Serbia, Matt is gearing up for gold in Paris. beth munro (Taekwondo) Beth Munro stormed to a sensational silver in just her second international competition to become ParalympicsGB’s very first medallist in Para taekwondo at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Her journey is marked by relentless dedication, overcoming challenges, and a fierce commitment to her sport. As one of Britain's top Paralympic hopefuls, Munro is poised to deliver a strong performance in Paris, aiming to turn her experience and hard work into gold. amy truesdale (taekwondo) A four-time European champion, winning gold’s in 2015, 2016, 2017 and most recently Gold at the 2024 European Championships in Serbia, Amy will be holding no punches in Paris. Para Taekwondo made its debut at Tokyo 2021, and Amy will be hunting for Paralympic gold after her bronze medal left this superstar with a taste for more. gemma collins (wheelchair fencing) Gemma Collins, a prominent figure in GB wheelchair fencing, is on a determined path to win medals at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. As one of the leading athletes in her sport, Collins has demonstrated exceptional skill and tenacity, consistently performing at the highest level in international competitions. With her eyes set on Paris, she is driven by the ambition to surpass her previous achievements and secure a place on the Paralympic podium.    These are just a few shining examples. Manchester's sporting scene pulsates with talented individuals across disciplines, all striving for excellence. As they compete to secure their place on the biggest sporting stage, the entire city rallies behind them.   So, to all the Manchester athletes chasing paralympic dreams, we say this: Go out there and show the world what Manchester is made of. Bring home the glory, and let the roar of a proud city echo in the Parisian arenas!   Manchester's legacy extends beyond these athletes. It's about the coaches, the clubs, the training facilities – a complete ecosystem that produces champions. As Paris 2024 approaches, let's celebrate the collective effort of this "Made in Manchester" phenomenon. The city may not be on the paralympic map, but its spirit will undoubtedly be there, cheering on its local heroes. #AliveWithSport Want to see our homegrown stars live in action? View a full breakdown of the paralympic schedule HERE.

In the heart of Manchester, excitement is building as the city prepares to host the UEFA Futsal Champions League matches for the very first time. This momentous event comes on the heels of Manchester Futsal's extraordinary treble-winning season, a testament to their skill, determination, and leadership. At the forefront of this success is Simon Wright, the founder and CEO of Manchester Futsal. We recently sat down with Simon to discuss the team's remarkable journey, the significance of hosting such a prestigious tournament in Manchester, and what fans can expect from this historic occasion. Join us as we delve into the insights and experiences of the man who has been instrumental in elevating Manchester Futsal to new heights. why is hosting champions league futsal so special for manchester futsal and futsal in manchester more generally? "The UEFA Futsal Champions League is the leading futsal competition. Naturally, clubs from futsal leagues across Europe all want to be compete at this level to test themselves. 56 clubs have entered this season so it’s a notable achievement for Manchester Futsal Club to line up against them. The club have worked really hard over the last 15 years to put futsal on the map in Manchester so staging this event will elevate our position further, hopefully reaching new audiences that are interested to see the game played live in the city against international opposition. Fundamentally futsal is a small-sided football game so in this football crazy city we know it will be appreciated and provides a contrasting spectacle to the eleven a-side format. Futsal is high intensity action, lots of skill and tactical strategies. There is no better sport to watch live in an arena." describe the journey and evolution of the sport of futsal in manchester "Futsal’s arrival in the city was around 2006 and started with the formation of Manchester Futsal Club. There was considerable ambition amongst the club founders to grow the club and reach the highest level, regardless of how difficult that journey was perceived. The starting point was all about educating people about the sport, sharing our passion, justifying the value of futsal. The club joined the FA’s National Futsal League and didn’t look back. The mission then become about trying to bring more people with us and create a futsal community. The club focussed on engaging young children, female players and working with local colleges and universities to develop teams and futsal provision in those early years. Today, futsal can be enjoyed at many different levels. We have youth coaching and leagues, adult recreational leagues, women’s futsal on offer as well as local universities competing in competitions. Participation has been growing over a number of years and the club’s membership reflects a diverse cross section of players from different communities." what does the ability to host events like this say about the city? "Manchester as a city is a sporting magnet, all sports want to tap into its appeal and capability of hosting unique events and sporting moments. The breadth and scope of sporting events staged is unrivalled. UEFA were very excited that Manchester Futsal Club showed the desire to host its leading futsal competition in England and create history for the sport in England." what does the future look like? "Manchester Futsal Club wants to continue to be at the forefront of the development of the sport in the city. We want to sustain our success and attract more fans and players into the game. We are already delivering a player pathway from our youth teams to the senior teams. There is no limit to our potential, the sport is young and has a bright future in the city." how can new fans in manchester get involved? "New fans can follow us in the UEFA Futsal Champions league over our three Group D games but also when the domestic futsal season starts in September. All of our games are staged at the National Cycling Centre. For those young players that want to play they can find out more information at www.manchesterfutsalacademy.com" Buy tickets to the 4 day 'festival of futsal' here. Stay tuned to all the news, updates and results from accross the event on their socials: Instagram Facebook Twitter   To see our other interviews, check out the Manchester Active In Focus page here.

A first-class facility fit for any occasion, Wythenshawe Sports Ground is the perfect base for your team’s home games, or as an ad-hoc venue when required for individual sporting events, tournaments or competitions. What is Wythenshawe Sports Ground you ask? Click here to learn more about this fantastic facility. Wythenshawe Forum Trust are thrilled to finally be in a position to start taking bookings for the upcoming football season! Here’s an overview of the new and improved process for registering and booking at Wythenshawe Sports Ground: 1. Complete the quick & easy online Registration Form here 2. Once submitted, it will be processed internally and your club will be added to the Fixture Booking System 3. Then, you’ll be able to book in your fixtures as and when you receive them – up to the end of the season! 4. As with last season, each booking email contains links to cancel/reschedule your bookings – we know fixtures can change! 5. Make sure you join the WhatsApp group to receive pitch allocations and urgent notices throughout the season If you encounter any technical issues or have any queries at all, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the team wythenshawe.sg@wftrust.org