Belts, medals and big ambitions: a Ron Harrod Foundation day at Harrod Sport
On 31 October, we welcomed four of our Ron Harrod Foundation athletes to Harrod Sport for a behind-the-scenes tour and a chance to catch up on their brilliant recent progress. Boxer Brooke Matthews, cyclist Joshua Amm, and swimmers Tyler Stone and Millie Suffling joined us for a meet-and-greet before heading out onto the factory floor to see how the Harrod Sport products are actually made.
From manufacturing and the spray line to the warehouse and our design centre, the group followed the full journey from raw materials to becoming world-class sporting equipment. It's always a joy to watch young athletes connect the dots between the kit on court, pitch, ring or pool and the craftsmanship that sits behind it. As we've seen on previous visits from Foundation athletes, the tour tends to spark curiosity, plenty of questions and even a few ideas we can take back to the workshop.
Brooke Matthews: world title in San Francisco - and an eye on the Olympics
Fresh from San Francisco, Brooke arrived carrying the best kind of hand luggage: her world championship belt and Golden Gloves. It was fantastic to celebrate that achievement with her in person. Brooke was thrilled with her recent wins and talked about how her sights are firmly set on the Olympics. The discipline, composure and competitive edge that carried her to a world crown were evident throughout the day - she's a superb role model for younger boxers coming through. Well done Brooke!
Tyler Stone: European Youth Olympic Festival silver - and stepping up an age group
Tyler has been on a terrific run of form. At the European Youth Olympic Festival, he claimed two silver medals, a milestone that reflects years of dedication in the pool. Back on home turf, he's continued to impress at the Eastern Region meet - winning his age category and pushing himself by competing in older age groups too. That willingness to test himself against tougher fields is exactly the mentality the Foundation exists to nurture. Great work Tyler!
Joshua Amm: excelling on road and track - overcoming challenges with class
On two wheels, Joshua Amm is making eye-catching strides on both road and track. He's regularly lining up against older cyclists and holding his own, a clear sign of his engine and race craft. As a para cyclist who has vision impairment in one eye and living with cerebral palsy, Joshua faces challenges many of us can't see from the stands - yet his performances keep trending upwards. He's on the Olympic pathway and, based on the work he's putting in, we're confident there's plenty more to come. Such an inspiration Joshua!
Millie Suffling: big results, bright future
Millie continues to turn heads in the pool. She's competing against older swimmers and delivering excellent results, which says a lot about her talent and temperament. We were thrilled to hear she's been reselected to swim for the City of Norwich in the National Arena League - a great platform at a key stage in her development. Like the others, the Olympics sit firmly in her long-term sights, and she's building the foundations the right way: consistent training, smart race schedules, and a hunger to improve. Good luck Millie!
Why these days matter
The Ron Harrod Foundation was created to support young, local athletes with the resources and encouragement they need to reach their potential - from help with travel and competition costs to equipment, coaching support and mentoring. Days like this bring that mission to life. For our team, it's inspiring to hear first-hand how the athletes are progressing; for the athletes, it's a reminder that an entire community is behind them.
As with previous athlete visits, the questions came thick and fast in the design centre: how our R&D process works, how we balance strength with weight in goal frames, what goes into quality testing, and how we prototype new ideas. We love that curiosity. Elite sport is a game of marginal gains and it's brilliant to see young athletes seek out those details, even outside their own discipline.
A fitting finish
We wrapped up the day with some photos, a buffet to refuel after a packed tour, and then presented each athlete with their Ron Harrod Foundation hoodie. It's a small token, but it symbolises the bigger picture: they're part of the Harrod Sport family, and we're proud to be part of their journey.
From a world title belt and European Olympic Youth Festival silver medals to breakthrough rides and league selections, Brooke, Joshua, Tyler and Millie are showing exactly what's possible with talent, graft and the right support network. A huge thank you to all four (and their families) for taking the time to visit. We can't wait to see where the next chapter takes them - and we'll be cheering every step, lap, length and round of the way.
#RonHarrodFoundation #HarrodSport #SupportingPotential
