11-Aug-84

OLYMPIC GAMES

Mayor honours Games trio

THEY may not have won any Olympic gold medals, but they still returned to Stockton as heroes and heroine.

The town showed its pride in three young residents who represented their country at Los Angeles at a "welcome home" reception in Stockton Town Hall.

Swimmers Samantha Purvis, 17, and Stuart Wilmot, 20, and cyclist Paul Curran, 23, were presented with framed scrolls to mark their achievements by the Mayor of Stockton, Councillor Jack Munsey.

"As the mayor of the town, I have the greatest pride in making these presentations. They haven't brought home any gold medals, but that doesn't detract from the deep feeling of pride in their participation in the Olympic Games," said Councillor Munsey.

Paul, of Richardson Road, Thornaby, qualified for the 50km points race, but crashed with 25 laps to go when a German cyclist in front of him fell. He was also in for the team pursuit but didn't qualify.

Samantha, who lives with her parents, Bill and Paula Purvis, in Highfield Road, Hartburn, almost got into the medal stakes, coming fifth in the 200 metres butterfly, breaking the British and English 200 metres long-course butterfly records.

Stuart came 15th in the 400 metres individual medley and was unplaced in the 1500 metres freestyle.