Banbridge archer picks up Mary Peters Trust Award

ARCHERY ace Kathryn Morton, from Banbridge, has received her Mary Peters Trust award certificate from Lady Mary Peters.

Eighty-five young athletes from across Northern Ireland, and representing 24 different sports from basketball and karate to powerchair football, sailing and orienteering, have received funding awards from the Mary Peters Trust.

Their achievements were celebrated at a special Athletes’ Academy event held at Newforge Sports Complex, Belfast, and hosted by UTV sports correspondent Ruth Gorman.

Athletes are nominated and then selected following a rigorous process and each receive financial and general support to help them navigate and succeed in their sporting careers and ultimately achieve their individual goals.

The current tranche of awards was presented by Lady Mary Peters, alongside MPT Chair, Barry Funston. Athletes were joined by parents and family members as well as sport liaison officers and MPT Awards Team Chair, Will Doggart.

Kathryn told Chronicle Sport: “I’m honoured to have received a Mary Peters Trust award and to be part of such an incredible group of esteemed and very successful sports people from across Northern Ireland.

"It was a pleasure to attend the 2023 MPT Athlete Academy – I enjoyed meeting so many other athletes from a wide range of sports supported by the MPT.

"It was especially great to see the Trust support archery as it is a niche sport and usually requires extensive travel to compete.”

Kathryn recently competed in the Irish U21 Field Archery Championships in Wicklow and came home with a gold medal.

She also picked up bronze at the Senior All British Field Championships in Bedfordshire, England, six weeks ago.

She is now hoping to build on her success at these events and qualify for the 2023 European Field Championships which will be held in Cesana-Sansicario Alto, Italy, in September.

If successful this will be Kathryn’s 5th international event representing Great Britain, and will also be her last event as a Junior (U21) archer.

In 2024, she will move up into the Senior division, and hopes to continue selection for the British Field, 3D and Indoor teams at Senior level.