Pat Brown: Meet the former scaffolder turned boxer going for gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics

  • Pat Brown spoke to Granada Reports Sports Correspondent David Chisnall about achieving his lifelong dream of becoming an Olympian

A former scaffolder and heavyweight boxer from Greater Manchester is hoping to bring back a gold medal home to the North West from the Olympics.

Qualifying for the 2024 Olympics in Paris was "a dream come true" for Team GB's Pat Brown.

The boxer from Sale is feeling prepped and pumped and also has extra motivation when going for gold after losing his cousin in the build up to the Games.

Pat Brown and his cousin Ross. Credit: Family photo

The 24-year-old said: "He was my best mate and we did everything together. He came with me everywhere. He came to the qualifiers in Italy watching me, said that was his best weekend of his life. So that was good to know.

"Definitely got everyone on my shoulders, especially him and always inside me all the time. And he's gave me a lot actually. So yeah, I'm going to be a wrecking ball when I go there with with him in me."

The heavyweight hopes his success can be an inspiration to the next generation.

He continued: "The main thing for me is just getting in the ring and show me skills and show everyone back at home what I've made of and bring back that medal. So that's what I'm excited for the most of it."

Boxer Pat Brown in action. Credit: Andy Chubb

Pat said that to win, it would mean "everything" to him and from boxing as a boy at the family run Sale West gym, to qualifying for the Olympics as a man, these are also special times for his dad.

Pat's dad, Mike Brown, said: "I'm over the moon. Very proud. Everyone in the family, his mum, his two brothers, myself, everyone I'm looking forward to Paris."

Pat will join a well-known list of North West fighters to box at the Olympics including, world champions Amir Khan, Natasha Jonas and Robin Reid.

Pat brown (right), Pat's Dad Mike Brown (top middle). Credit: Family photo

Fighting his way through the ranks under Nigel and Kelvin Travis at the Moss Side Fire station boxing club, the 24 year old has always had plenty of Olympic pedigree to draw upon.

Kelvyn Travis - Moss Side Fire Station Boxing Gym: "We're very proud of him, I'm not nervous about anything at all with him. I think he's well capable of going out there and destroying some of these opponents."

Pat's boss, Dermot Craven said that he was an "exceptional, honest and hardworking" person and "if I could find more Pats in this world" he would have a far bigger scaffolding company.

Dermot said that if Pat wins gold, Well, he's going to "have to get them all over there, so I'm going to be a bit poor".

Pat said: "I do think back when I'm waking up the scaffolding and it's freezing cold and I've got that cold tube on the shoulder.

"And I just kept saying to myself, one day, I won't be doing this. I'll be doing what I love, and this is exactly what I'm doing now."