Paralympian Grace Clough to be awarded 20th star on Sheffield Legends walk of fame

A Sheffield rower will today become the 20th addition to the city's walk of fame - with two more sports stars to follow next year.
Sheffield Paralympian Grace CloughSheffield Paralympian Grace Clough
Sheffield Paralympian Grace Clough

Gold medal-winning Paralympic rower Grace Clough, who was part of the triumphant mixed fours team at Rio in September, will be unveiled as the latest member of the Sheffield Legends group outside the Town Hall at 12.30pm.

The 25-year-old was born with a condition called Erb’s Palsy, where nerves in the shoulder are damaged during birth. The former High Storrs School pupil took up rowing after attending an event at the English Institute of Sport in Attercliffe.

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Her star will join those marking the achievements of a range of Sheffield people, from Def Leppard to Helen Sharman.

Grace will be followed in 2017 by England cricketer Joe Root and Masters-winning golfer Danny Willett.

She said: “I am so proud to be named as one of Sheffield’s legends.

“Looking down the list of ‘stars’, I still can’t quite believe I have been honoured and linked to such amazing people.

Grace Clough, 25, with her gold medal-winning team at the Rio Paralympics 2016.Grace Clough, 25, with her gold medal-winning team at the Rio Paralympics 2016.
Grace Clough, 25, with her gold medal-winning team at the Rio Paralympics 2016.
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“It will be such a special event to top off what has been the best, and certainly most memorable, year of my life. The dream just keeps getting better and better”.

Despite her impairment Grace has always played sport, and played basketball for Yorkshire under-16s before captaining her varsity team, as well as playing football while studying for a sociology degree at the University of Leeds.

She was spotted after answering an advert for a ParalympicsGB SportsFest in Sheffield in 2013, and took up rowing.

She won world championship gold in 2014 and 2015 before her victorious Paralympic debut this year.

Sheffield Masters winner Danny Willett.Sheffield Masters winner Danny Willett.
Sheffield Masters winner Danny Willett.
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Sheffield Council leader Julie Dore said she was ‘incredibly proud’ of Grace, adding: “What is so pleasing is that none of our phenomenal athletes have forgotten their city roots and continue to have proud associations across the city, training, living and working here.”

The 19 other Sheffield Legends are:

Gordon Banks - England's World Cup winning goalkeeper.

Sean Bean - internationally renowned actor.

Sheffield cricketer Joe Root.Sheffield cricketer Joe Root.
Sheffield cricketer Joe Root.

Joe Cocker - internationally famous musician.

Lord Sebastian Coe - Olympic medal winner and chairman of the London 2012 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Derek Dooley - Sheffield footballing legend with both United and Wednesday.

Dame Margaret Drabble - internationally respected novelist and critic.

Jessica Ennis-Hill - Olympic champion heptathlete.

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Professor Barry Hancock - leading cancer treatment specialist.

Jessica Ennis-Hill unveils her star on the Sheffield Legends walk of fame.Jessica Ennis-Hill unveils her star on the Sheffield Legends walk of fame.
Jessica Ennis-Hill unveils her star on the Sheffield Legends walk of fame.

Brendan Ingle - top boxing trainer

Def Leppard - top-selling rock band.

Nick Matthew - world squash champion.

David Mellor - internationally-acclaimed designer.

Michael Palin - famous film and television personality.

Steve Peat – champion downhill mountain biker.

Helen Sharman - first British astronaut

Joe Simpson - renowned mountaineer, author and motivational speaker

Joe Scarborough - one of Sheffield’s finest artists

Michael Vaughan - one of this country’s most successful cricket captains

Clinton Woods - world champion boxer

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