Tokyo 2020: North West's Ones to Watch

Large Olympic rings stand in front of the Olympic Stadium ahead of Tokyo 2020
Olympic rings stand in front of the Olympic Stadium ahead of Tokyo 2020 Credit: PA Images

Join Granada Reports sports correspondents David Chisnall, Chris Hall and Mike Hall as they discuss their favourite Olympic memories and hear from five of the athletes they tip for a place on the podium in Tokyo.

Listen above, or you can stream all episodes wherever you get your podcasts from.


The North West medallists:

GOLD (eight events, 10 medallists)

SILVER (seven events, seven medallists)

BRONZE (six events, seven medallists)


TOKYO 2020 OLYMPICS NORTH WEST'S ONES TO WATCH:

Jason Kenny celebrates winning gold in the men's keirin in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Credit: USA TODAY Network/SIPA USA/PA Images

Cycling: Only one place to start and that's with Bolton's Jason Kenny who became Great Britain's most successful Olympian with a gold and silver medal on the track.

His six golds and one silver from London and Rio sit him joint top of the GB Medal chart alongside his former teammate and good friend Sir Chris Hoy.

He's never been one for the spotlight but all eyes will be on Jason when he rides in the Sprint, Team Sprint and Keirin events in the Izu velodrome. 

He didn't quite achieve the gold in the men's team sprint - settling for a silver instead - but overtook former cyclist Sir Chris Hoy as the most successful British Olympian with a gold in the men's Keirin.

It also makes Kenny the first Briton to win nine Olympic medals - winning gold at four consecutive Games.

Sports Correspondent Chris Hall on the British Cycling Team going for gold in Tokyo

Also hoping for track success was 2020 World bronze medallist in the Omnium Matt Walls from Oldham.

He took the velodrome by storm winning gold in the Men's Omnium and silver with teammate Ethan Hayter in the Men's Madison.

Keely Hodgkinson winning the women's 800m at the British Championships Credit: Martin Rickett/PA Wire/PA Images

Athletics: While Liverpool's Heptathlon World Champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Preston pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw will get a lot of attention watch out for up and coming track star Keely Hodgkinson who will be making her Olympic debut.

The 19-year-old from Atherton in Greater Manchester has already broken numerous international junior records and stormed to victory in a highly competitive 800m final at the British Championships to seal her qualification for Team GB. She secured a Tokyo 2020 silver medal after powering her way through the field in the final 200m.

Sadly it was not to be for Liverpool's Katarina Johnson-Thompson, after she pulled out of heptathlon with calf injury, halfway through the event.

Sports Correspondent Mike Hall profiled Keely Hodgkinson ahead of the British Championships

Team GB boxers Peter McGrail and Karriss Artingstall Credit: Zac Goodwin/PA Wire/PA Images

Boxing: After Liverpool's Peter McGrail went out in the first round in the men's featherweight competition, Macclesfield's Karriss Artingstall claimed Bronze in the Women's featherweight contest.

The 26-year-old the Royal Artillery soldier has already made history by becoming the first female boxer from the UK Armed Forces to qualify for an Olympics.

Sports Correspondent David Chisnall previews Karriss Artingstall's history making Olympic bid for boxing gold

Team GB rowers Tom and Emily Ford

Rowing: While most siblings grow up rowing (arguing), sister and brother Emily and Tom Ford grew up rowing (with oars).

The pair from Holmes Chapel in Cheshire represented Great Britain in their first Games in the women's and men's Eights.

Tom, and Stockport's Josh Bugajski, helped the men's team secure bronze, finishing behind New Zealand and Germany, while the women's Eights failed to qualify for the final.

Meet the rowing brother and sister going to Tokyo 2020

James Guy during the Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final at the Rio 2016 Olympics Credit: David Davies/PA Archive/PA Images

Swimming: Bury's James Guy completed a hat-trick of medals. He claimed gold in the men's 4x200m Freestyle Relay, gold in the mixed 4x100 metres medley relay, setting a world record with Chorley's Anna Hopkin, Warrington's Kathleen Dawson, and silver in the men's 4x100 metres medley.

The Nacra-17 sailors Anna Burnet and John Gimson from Great Britain Credit: Frank Molter/DPA/PA Images

Sailing: Finally at the age of 38, Congleton's John Gimson will become an Olympian when he competes in the Nacra 17 Mixed Multihull class on the waters at the Enoshima Yacht Harbour

John and his partner Anna Burnet went into the Games off the back of a successful 2020 where they were crowned World Champions - and brought home the silver medal.

Rochdale sailor Stuart Bithell also claimed the gold medal in the men's 49er alongside his teammate Dylan Fletcher.

Bianca Walkden training at the National Taekwondo Centre in Manchester. Credit: David Davies/PA Archive/PA Images

Taekwondo: The Covid pandemic meant Liverpool's Bianca Walkden spent much of last year training in her garage with her flat mate and double Olympic champion Jade Jones.

In Rio five years ago it was silver for Bianca but the triple World Champion doesn't like settling for second best.

She had her sights set on gold in Tokyo, but missed out on a chance to fight for the medal by seconds. Instead Bianca fought back her disappointment to clinch bronze.

Lockdown's noisiest neighbours? Bianca Walkden and Jade Jones train in their garage in 2020

Bryony Page winning a silver medal in the women's trampoline at the Rio 2016 Olympics Credit: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire/PA Images

Trampolining: Crewe's Bryony Page was jumping with joy after jumping to Britain's first ever Olympic trampolining medal at Rio.

Going to Tokyo the silver medallist from 2016 has been helped by the delay to Games which has given her more time to recover from an injury she picked up following her success in Brazil. She bounced her way to a bronze medal in the trampoline final.

Team GB weightlifter Sarah Davies Credit: Zac Goodwin/PA Wire/PA Images

Weightlifting: From beauty queen to power machine, Preston's Sarah Davies made her Olympic debut in Japan.

The 28-year-old went into the Games in medal winning form after collecting a silver at the European Championships earlier in the year, but it wasn't to be in Tokyo and she finished fifth.

NEW SPORTS

Team GB's Shauna Coxsey and Charlotte Worthington Credit: Kenjiro Matsuo/AFLO/PA Images / John Walton/PA Archive/PA Images

BMX Freestyle and Sport Climbing: Two of the five new events at this year's Olympics have medal potential for North West competitors. Both Runcorn Sport Climber Shauna Coxsey and Manchester BMX Freestyler Charlotte Worthington are trailblazers in their adrenaline packed sports and have won medals at World Championships.

Former cook Charlotte served up a gold medal for Team GB in the BMX freestyle when she landed the first-ever 360 backflip to be performed in women’s competition.


On the latest From the North podcast, David, Chris and Mike discuss their favourite Olympic memories and hear from five of the athletes they tip for a place on the podium in Tokyo.

Listen above, or you can stream all episodes wherever you get your podcasts from.