Manchester-born and bred boxer Patrick Brown has officially qualified for the 2024 Olympics after an impressive display in the final bouts of the Road to Paris event in Italy earlier this week.
The local fighter based out of the Moss Side Fire Station Boxing Club and Sale West ABC sealed his place as part of the Team GB Boxing squad travelling to the French capital this summer following his unanimous win over Poland’s Mateusz Bereznicki.
Pat emerged victorious in the impressive heavyweight matchup and it’s safe to say there’s plenty to be excited about with one of our own heading to the Olympic Games in July.
Having only been with GB Boxing for just a couple of years and fought 21 amateur fights, it was a great achievement for the native talent to be the first to qualify for the big stage in just a few months’ time.
📰 | NEWS: Conclusion of Boxing Road to Paris event in Italy sees Patrick Brown and Chantelle Reid earn qualification for Paris 2024 Olympic Games
Speaking on the clubs so close to his heart, Brown said: “Words can’t describe how I feel. I could cry my eyes out! I’m just showing to my amateur club at Moss Side Fire Station and Sale ABC, and the kids there, that if they keep going and work hard, anything is possible.”
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As for the club itself, they shared images of numerous aspiring athletes training hard taking a well-earned break to cheer on Pat and witness him get past his opponent in fine fashion, scoring 30-27 across the board.
Celebrating the result from an alumnus of the disused fire station, Greater Manchester Fire Rescue Service’s (GMFRS) Chief Fire Officer, Dave Russel said: “I’m incredibly proud of Pat, all the trainers and coaching staff at Moss Side Fire Station Boxing Club.
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“To qualify for the Olympics 2024 is a phenomenal achievement and I wish Pat the very best of luck in Paris.” You could tell how much it meant to the 24-year-old too — as well as his dad, who dedicated the landmark moment to.
🗣 “Words can’t describe how I’m feeling…I could cry!
“I can’t wait to show my dad, he’s who I’ve done this for.
“This felt out of reach a few years ago but I’ve always believed in myself.”
He went on to give special thanks to Moss Side Fire Station BC to head coach Nigel Travis, “who works tirelessly at the boxing club developing young people.”
“Raising aspirations through sport enables our service to work at the very heart of our local communities”, says Russel, adding: “I’m sure Pat’s incredible achievement will inspire other young people for many years to come.”
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Set up by Travis back in 2008 alongside three other firefighters, the Moss Side Boxing Club remains a key pillar of the wider community work done by the GMFRS’ Safer Communities and Interventions Team, working with young people across the region to build confidence, self-esteem, as well as fitness and skills through mentoring from positive role models — something well worth celebrating.
You can watch the full fight between Brown and Bereznicki down below and we wish Pat and the rest of his team all the very best at the Games later this year.
Patrick Brown from Manchester is heading to the Paris Olympics. Remember the name.
Featured Images — Supplied/GB Boxing (via Getty/Instagram)
Sport
2024 Manchester Marathon raises £29 million for local economy and over £3.7m for charity
Danny Jones
Just under a fortnight on from the 2024 Manchester Marathon and the numbers are finally, with the annual race generating nearly £30 million for the local economy and raising over £3.7m for charity.
This year’s Adidas Manchester Marathon saw record numbers of runners and spectators as over 30,000 took part in the popular race, up by roughly 6,000 from 2023, and more than 125k turned up to line the streets of Greater Manchester.
As a result, these huge crowds spent upwards of £29.2 million at business around the city centre and around the 10 boroughs last weekend, serving as one of the most significant contributions to the local economy on the annual calendar.
Not only was this an approximately £8m increase on last year’s tally but, most importantly, a sizeable chunk of that went straight into both regional and national charities.
The 2024 adidas Manchester Marathon was a spectacular day for the city and its economy.
Beyond the boost to local vendors, the hospitality sector and retail businesses, over £3.7 million were allocated to charities such as Alzheimer’s Charity, Cancer Research UK, British Heart Foundation and The Christie.
Over £32,000 was also raised for the Trafford Active Fund, with £1 from every paid entry to the Adidas Manchester Marathon and Manchester Half donated directly to the initiative that benefits local sports clubs and organisations through Trafford Council.
Better still, with City of Trees selected as the chosen ‘Green Runner’ charity, the eco-friendly drive saw roughly 7% of participants opt out of receiving either a finisher t-shirt, medal or both.
The money saved in production goes towards maintaining woodlands and wildlife across Greater Manchester.
Together you have raised over £3.7 million for charitable causes, adding even more meaning to those 26.2 miles 💕 Well done and thank you to all those who fundraised and donated! 🌟Tag us in those charity top pictures from last weekend 😍😍#ManchesterMarathonpic.twitter.com/5gsi6NtFzB
This year’s Manchester Marathon also helped produce some of the highest number of passengers on public transport in the city’s history, with a over 175,000 journeys made on Metrolink alone – the highest number of journeys ever recorded on a single day.
This was a 20% increaseon 2023’s race day (145k), spotlighting how the event continues to be more environmentally conscious as years go by.
With the 2025 adidas Manchester Marathon confirmed to be taking place on Sunday, 27 April next year – and over 12,000 places already sold – the city can already look forward to reaping the economic and social benefits of hosting one of Europe’s largest, flattest, friendliest and most-loved marathons.
Featured Images — Adidas Manchester Marathon/The Manc Group
Sport
‘Enough is enough’: Marcus Rashford calls out fans for ‘months’ of abuse
Danny Jones
Manchester United star Marcus Rashford has put his foot down in a social media post, calling for an end to ‘months of abuse’ from both his own supporters and beyond.
It’s fair to say that the 26-year-old hasn’t been enjoying his best season in a United shirt and while he has had his moments this year – his goal against Arsenal and stunning opener in the Manchester derby, just to name a couple – he’s come under a lot of pressure from supporters.
Rashford previously came out to address the situation in a Players Tribune interview back in February, stating, “I can’t have people questioning my commitment to Man United”, but now the England international has reiterated the point after someone came to his defence on X.
Quoting a fan who wrote that “the way Marcus Rashford is being treated is absolutely disgusting”, calling the behaviour online and on matchdays in some cases as “cruel” and downright abuse”, he responded by declaring: “Enough is enough”.
I appreciate your support! It is abuse and has been for months. Enough is enough https://t.co/MUfiU0JwEb
The Wythenshawe winger has already labelled doubts over his effort levels, love and loyalty to the club “ridiculous”, reiterating time and time again that he’s a boyhood Red, but that hasn’t stopped people continuing to criticise him online.
Sadly, while he’s also insisted that he “can take criticism” and headlines when his performances aren’t quite up to scratch, the negativity hasn’t just been limited to social media and has been spilling out into the matchday stands.
Reports of Rashford being booed off the pitch by his own supporters at Wembley during United’s admittedly chaotic performance against Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-final were confirmed by multiple sources at the time.
Although he didn’t comment on the response from the travelling Reds at the time, it’s now clear he was abundantly aware of the frosty reception as he was substituted, with many within the fan base and beyond calling the decision to boo your own players “classless” and “shameful”.
We were in the west press box (among Coventry fans) so amid the din after the equaliser and anticipation of ET, the booing of Rashford wasn't as audible as on TV. Relationship between player and matchgoers is broken. In the interests of all parties he goes in the summer. #mufc
Fans play a part in performances! Especially with social media, you can say players shouldn’t be on twitter or whatever but that’s not the point. How could rashford possibly perform when half the fanbase is calling him THE problem???
With seven goals and five assists to his name across all competitions this season, it’s fair to say Marcus Rashford has been a far cry away from the heights he has managed to hit in recent years.
It was only last season that he hit a career-high record of 40 goal contributions, sitting as one of the most prolific players in all of Europe during another difficult season for the club, even managing to surpass club legend Andy Cole’s record.
Just goes to show how short people’s memories can really be – especially when it comes to football – and Erik ten Hag has already urged patience from his fans when it comes to his players, and not just his number ten.
‘The Beautiful Game’ is and always will be a fickle sport but it’s worth reminding of just how much the academy product has already delivered during his time at Man United. Anyone can have a tough season.
Danny Jones -
14th March 2024 
