TWO talented young athletes have been given a funding boost to help them with the costs of performing at an elite level.

Bradford Council identified the two sports stars - 17-year-old Evie Webb and 20- year-old Jacob Barnett - to receive £250 grants each to support them to reach their potential.

The Council has a partnership with SportsAid, a national charity that helps young athletes, to provide financial help for emerging sports stars in the district who want to reach the highest level of competition.

This can often prove costly for the young athletes, many of whom are still in school.

Evie has dived for the City of Bradford Esprit Diving Club, based at Shipley swimming pool, for seven years and is progressing on a national scale. She began her diving career following her selection from the Schools Talent Search held in the district.

Earlier this year, she put on an impressive performance to secure a gold medal in the 3-metre springboard event representing Bradford in Barcelona.

In August she went on a training camp in Croatia, and in September she attended an assessment camp in Leeds in the hope of securing a second year on the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme.

The highly accomplished diver, from Gilstead, Bingley, said: “I really appreciate the financial help towards my diving costs.

"I love diving. It means the world to me.”

Taekwondo athlete Jacob, from Baildon, became the British Student Champion and European University Games Champion earlier this year.

He trains with Quest Taekwondo where he has been coached by Mike McKenzie, lead coach and founder of the club, since he was aged six.

He has represented Great Britain at the 2013 Junior European Championships, England at the 2014 Taekwondo Commonwealth Games in Scotland, and at the 2015 U21 European Championships in Romania, as well as Leeds Beckett University at the 2016 European University Games.

Jacob said: “I am really grateful for the funding and it couldn’t have come at a better time with the British Taekwondo National Championships being held in London this weekend.

“I hope I can successfully defend my title.”

The grants were given at a presentation event in Shipley Swimming Pool.

SportsAid has been working in partnership with Bradford Council for nearly ten years, helping them to support the district’s next generation of sporting talent.

In that time Bradford-based competitors in a wide variety of different sports have benefitted from the support.

In Yorkshire, SportsAid helped five of GB’s seven gold medallists at the 2012 London Olympics.

Former recipients of funding include the poster girl of the 2012 London Olympics, Jessica Ennis-Hill, as well as boxer Luke Campbell and cricketer Tim Bresnan.