YOUNG sporting stars from Salisbury, Tisbury and Wilton were among those celebrated at a major county awards night recognising the next generation of Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls.

Wiltshire Council’s Sporting Excellence Presentation, held at County Hall, brought together elite athletes and rising young talent for the first time in a single event.

At the heart of the evening were children and teenagers from the area who have already begun making their mark in sport.

Among those recognised were Salisbury’s Jacob Earle (decathlon), Max Gray (downhill mountain biking), Jacob Pitt (ice hockey) and Esme Ward (BMX), alongside Lyra Medlock from Tisbury (orienteering) and Stevie McNulty from Wilton (weightlifting).

All received Sports Scholarship Grants, designed to support promising athletes aged between eight and 18 with the costs of training and competition.

The awards are part of the council’s Funding Future Olympians and Paralympians programme, which has supported 168 athletes since 2011.

The evening also featured a question and answer session with top athletes including Paralympic medallist Dan Bethell, offering inspiration to the young stars in the room.

Wiltshire Council leader Cllr Ian Thorn with Dan Bethell. (Picture: Wiltshire Council)

Dan, who has won silver at the last two Paralympic Games, spoke about the importance of support as athletes progress through the ranks.

“Receiving this grant continues to play an important role in helping me compete at the top end of international para sport as I begin my journey towards Los Angeles 2028,” he said.

“Having that backing from home makes a real difference, both practically and personally.”

Council leader Cllr Ian Thorn said: “It was fantastic to celebrate the dedication, ambition and achievements of our local athletes.

“Wiltshire has an incredible breadth of sporting talent, and this event recognised the commitment shown by athletes at every stage of their journey.

“Bringing together elite athletes and sports scholars in one evening highlighted the strength of our sporting pathway and the inspirational stories taking place across Wiltshire.”

Wiltshire Council says the programme continues to play a vital role in helping young athletes turn early promise into future success on the world stage.