Speedy Jodie Ounsley has been selected to represent Team GB at the world’s biggest deaf games.
Jodie will compete in the 100m and 200m at the Deaflympics 2017, held in Turkey, in July.
And Jodie, from Thornhill, will compete as an adult despite being just 16 when the event takes place.
However competing at the event is self-funded and Jodie needs to raise £1,740.
You can sponsor her at www.gofundme.com/jodies-deaflympic-dream .
Jodie, 15, was born profoundly deaf and was fitted with a cochlear implant at 14 months to support her hearing.
But that’s not stopped the Shelley College pupil’s excelling at jiu-jitsu and rugby union.
She represents Yorkshire County U18s and trains with the women’s deaf England team because she’s too young for squad selection.
Jodie is the daughter of Insp Phil Ounsley from Kirklees Police and his wife Jo, who runs a luxury cat hotel.
She took up rugby after spending two frustrating years unable to participate in sport because of a knee complaint called Osgood Schlatter disease.
Fortunately, medical advice to completely rest the knee has worked for a sports-mad girl who had previously been crowned junior world coal carrying champion on four occasions.
