A Guide to Suffolk’s sporting heroes
By Ollie Pearson
Much as our blog serves to recommend all of the best things to do in Suffolk when staying at our Barges or Barns for rent, we do also enjoy the occasional tangent. Whether it’s a tangent about the best songwriters, authors or ghost stories to come from our fine county, we like to think these small indulgences make for more varied reading. In this case, we thought a glance at the sporting heroes of Suffolk would be just the thing for our readers to enjoy with a cup of tea. So, without further ado, here’s a roundup of some of the most notable sporting names to come from Suffolk.
With football being top of mind now that Ipswich are seemingly on the precipice of promotion after many years, it seems appropriate to point out that Kieron Dyer, a player with 33 England caps to his name as well as stints at clubs like Newcastle, West Ham and QPR (not to mention his hometown club), was born in Ipswich. Looking further back into footballing history, the famously bandaged-in-a-World-Cup-game Terry Butcher was born in Lowestoft before going on to enjoy an illustrious career at both national and international level.
Another international superstar hailing from Suffolk, Victoria Pendleton was also from the area. Originally from Stowmarket, Pendleton went on to win multiple Olympic gold medals and world championships following her early years refining her craft at the grass track in Mildenhall. An inspiration to many, we’re quite proud to have some small claim on her incredible achievements.
As well as elite footballers and cyclists, Suffolk has recently gotten (rightly) excited about the rise of Fabio Wardley. Winning his first heavyweight title back in 2022, Wardley makes no secret about his hometown, proudly bearing the ITFC crest on his shorts. With commentators anticipating a big future for this boxer, we’re sure that he’ll go on to join the ranks of the other names featured on this list.
On the track, it is assuredly javelin thrower Goldie Sayers who takes the title of most notable Suffolk athlete. Having competed at the very top of her game, Sayers has represented Team GB in multiple Olympic Games and World Championships, receiving numerous awards for her technical capabilities.
Whilst we can’t promise that you’ll bump into any of these sporting wonders when visiting the area, what we can promise is that you’ll find plenty of equally impressive things to see and do when staying at our Barns and Barges for rent in Suffolk. Should you decide to visit during the football season, of course, there’s every chance that you’ll be able to spot a future superstar when attending an Ipswich Town game. To start planning your next holiday, be sure to take a look at the availability of all of our dog-friendly accommodation today.
