Features / best of 2024
Bristol’s best sportspeople of 2024
From a swimming pool in Paris to the manicured turf of the Memorial Stadium, these are the Bristol sportspeople who have excelled this year.
1. Kate Shortman and Izzy Thorpe
Best friends Kate and Izzy won a historic silver medal at the Olympics in Paris. The former Clifton High School pupils, who train at Hengrove Leisure Centre, became Team GB’s first-ever artistic swimming medallists. Shortman studies international management and French at the University of Bath, and Thorpe is a sports rehabilitation student at UWE. The pair both follow in their mothers’ footsteps, with Maria Shortman and Karen Thorpe also both competing together.
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2. Meg Jarvis
Centre forward Meg Jarvis signed for Bristol Rovers Women in July and has not stopped scoring during the Gas Girls’ first season in the National League. Jarvis was previously on the books at Swindon Town, Bristol City and Bridgewater as well as spending time in the USA. Her latest goal helped propel Rovers into the fourth round of the FA Cup. A special mention too to Rovers manager Nathan Hallett-Young who was awarded the FA WNL manager of the month award for September following his team’s superb run of form.
3. James Bracey
2024 was an incredible season for Gloucestershire who capped it off with victory in the T20 Blast, beating fierce local rivals Somerset by eight wickets during a dream finals day at Edgbaston in September. At the centre of most of the action over the season in both the white ball and red ball competitions was James Bracey, who was named the supporters’ player of the year. He also scored a record-breaking 224 not out in the Metro Bank One Day Cup, against who else but Somerset.
4. Gabriel Ibitoye
Bristol’s first half against Leicester on Saturday was described by some experts as among the best 40 minutes of rugby the Premiership has ever witnessed. It was a record tenth consecutive away win for the Bears and of course Gabriel Ibitoye got on the scoresheet as he pushes for an England call-up. 2024 has seen Ibitoye represent England A thanks to a season which has seen the winger produce some breath-taking rugby.
5. Judd Trump
Judd Trump will finish 2024 as the best snooker player on the planet. The world number one, who grew up in Whitchurch, has won four tournaments this year, including his second UK Championship title, scoring 47 centuries in the process.
Main photo: Sky News
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