One of Teesside’s most celebrated athletes this year after his success at the Paris Olympics in August has displayed his Olympic medal at Teesside airport.
Richard Kilty earned the medal as part of Team GB’s 4x100m relay team at the Paris Olympic Games. Now, his achievement stands as a source of pride and inspiration for his hometown.
Born in Middlesbrough and raised in Stockton-on-Tees, Kilty, 35, has long been recognised for his outstanding contribution to British athletics.
With a career that has spanned more than a decade, the sprinter has excelled in both indoor and outdoor events, claiming multiple titles, including World and European indoor 60m champion and Commonwealth Games gold medallist.
Kilty remains deeply connected to Teesside, a region he credits for shaping him both as an athlete and an individual.
Speaking about the decision to publicly share his Olympic medal, he said: “I’m proud to be a Teessider and Teesside is my favourite airport, so putting the medal on display here made perfect sense.
“This community has supported me throughout my career, so it’s great to be able to share what it means to more people close to home.”
He aims to mentor young talent, particularly those from his local community and hopes that his Olympic bronze medal will serve as a source of inspiration.
He said: “I hope the medal can play its role in inspiring our next generation of athletes.”
The medal is visible on a stand in the departures area of the airport terminal.
Read More:
- Richard Kilty earns emotional Olympic relay bronze at Paris 2024
- Olympian Richard Kilty visits Central Park Middlesbrough
- Olympian Richard Kilty helping young athletes reach the top
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Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen added: “We could not be more proud of Richard for bringing a medal back to Teesside.
“He’s had such an illustrious career on the track and it’s a great honour for us to have it him and his medal here at our airport.
"He’s one of our own, a true Teessider, and has always been a great supporter of what we are doing.
“Get yourself down to Teesside Airport to come and see Richard’s Olympic Bronze in person.”
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