Clarets get chance to salute Olympians
Four years ago the opening day league fixture against Owen Coyle’s relegated Bolton came later than the usual August kick off date because of the London Olympics.
Ahead of that game, local Olympians Sophie Hitchon, Jon Schofield and Steven Burke were all welcomed onto the Turf Moor pitch ahead of kick off. I was very fortunate to be down on the touchline for a cheque presentation and I can assure you that is as close as I’m ever going to get to an Olympic medal. As you can see from the photograph above, both Jon Schofield (canoeing bronze) and Steven Burke (cycling gold) were both proudly wearing their medals.
All three of them will be back at the Turf either for the Hull game or the Watford game sixteen days later.
Sophie Hitchon, a former Ivy Bank pupil, did the town proud in Rio, winning bronze in the hammer event and she will be joined on the Turf Moor pitch at half time this Saturday by Samantha Murray who wasn’t quite able to add to the silver medal she won in London four years ago in the modern pentathlon.
The Watford game will see the return of Jon Schofield, who this time added a silver to his London gold in the men’s canoe sprint K-2 200 metres, and Steven Burke from Colne who added a second Olympic gold in the cycling team pursuit.
Follow UpTheClarets:
Share this page :