They say better late than never and Mark Oliver Chairman of SportsAid Cymru Wales finally got to present Michael Jenkins with his outstanding achievement certificate for 2022. Below is the nomination that we had from his coach. A fantastic achievement. Well done Michael.
"Michael is an incredible young man - he has cerebral palsy and yet manages to compete
and be competitive in both able bodied and para athletics - Discus and Shot.
In 2021/2, his final one of u17’s, he had the best season of his life! Michael won every discus
competition he entered: Local, Regional, National and International. Michael was
selected to take part in SIAB in Discus and shot and was the only boy to win for team
Wales (going against able bodied boys). He also won athlete of the competition for this.
Michael competed at the National Junior Disability championships and won in both shot
and discus in Coventry, and then won an award for the most sports manly boy at the
competition for the behaviour towards his fellow athletes.
Michael competed in the British Junior and Senior Para Championships - the junior one he managed to get first
place in Discus and second in Shotput in some of the worst conditions weather wise
we’ve seen, the senior champs was amazing and he performed brilliantly against
Olympians, getting bronze for Shotput and smashing the discus to win the competition!
An amazing achievement from him at just 16 years old!
Michael was also selected to compete at the National School Games where once again he won in the discus event.
He was also selected to compete for Wales at the English Throws Camp even in
Moulton college where he did amazingly well, getting a massive pb of 50.85! Michael is
ranked number one for discus on the power of 10 for the U.K. and Wales u17 able
bodied and number 1 in the U.K. and Wales for senior Para Discus and Shot. Michael is
also ranked number 2 for able bodied shot put in Wales. Michael is striving to break the
para world record (set 30 years ago) which is 52 meters and he is almost there as he’s
now throwing 51.65! He is an incredible young man, he is in constant pain which is
totally unmanageable but pushes through to compete at the highest level.
He’s so positive and powerful, he’s a complete inspiration to everyone around him and an asset to his school, local and National teams."
