Team GB Olympian Sam Reardon pays tribute to late mum after winning two bronze medals

As athlete Sam Reardon watched the opening ceremony from his sofa, little did he realise just days later he would not only be competing, but winning medals, as ITV News' Antoine Allen reports

Team GB athlete Sam Reardon told ITV News "it meant the world" to win two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics - paying tribute to his mum who died before seeing her son achieve their shared dream.

The 20-year-old was not originally selected to be in Paris, but an injury to another member of Team GB meant he got a last minute call to go to the Olympics, with Reardon going on to win two bronze medals in the men's and mixed 400m relay.

"I was watching the opening ceremony in my room at home thinking ah damn, I wish I could have been there," he said.

"[It went from] it's not happening but I wish I could have been there, to being there and running - and coming away and winning two bronze medals," he said.

However, Reardon's biggest fan was missing from the crowd to celebrate his special moment.

His mum died from a brain tumour when he was just 15 years old. She always had unwavering belief her son would one day become an Olympian.

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"A hug from her would mean the world to me," he said.

"If I got to see her and I'd give her a hug and tell her how thankful I am for everything, because I was quite young when she passed.

"I wasn't really coming to terms with it when I was 15 years old."

Each time he stepped onto the podium, he carried a picture of his mum in his pocket.

"She's here right on this podium with me," he continued.

"I felt that in myself, in my heart already, but to have that in physical form as well in way, it meant the world.

"I know she would have loved to have been there and she would be screaming."

By the time of the LA Olympics in 2028, Sam will be 24 years old and he aims to fulfill one more promise to his mum.

"She always said one day she wanted to see me on top of the podium singing the national anthem," Reardon said.

"She said she'd be balling her eyes out. So that's the ultimate aim, its to get on top of that and I think with that sort of motivation I can definitely get there."

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