Athletes in the Armed Forces: Five talented people to watch out for in 2024
The New Year is now upon us, and with it comes the expectation of what great sporting performances we can expect from our forces athletes in 2024.
From a world title-chasing bobsleigh star to new Olympic and Paralympic debutantes, there is a lot to be excited about going into 2024 after witnessing the thrills and spills of 2023.
In no particular order, here are five brilliant Armed Forces athletes that you should keep your eye on this year.
1. Kat Matthews – Triathlon
Captain Kat Matthews has flown the flag proudly for Army Triathlon on the international stage after turning pro in 2019.
And with multiple wins and Ironman World Championship silver medals to her name, Capt Matthews has been tipped to achieve great things.
But a near career-ending accident during training in Texas, just two weeks out from the 2022 Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, put her career progression on hold.
After rehabilitation, Capt Matthews entered 2023 firing on all cylinders with a podium at the heavily-stacked Ironman 70.3 Oceanside, but once she got to the Ironman World Championships in Kona, she left "overwhelmingly sad" when she was forced to withdraw mid-race.
After her disappointment in Kona, Capt Matthews didn't wait until 2024 to get her redemption after she won the Ironman 70.3 Middle East Championships in Bahrain.
She will now look to continue her incredible journey in Triathlon as she hunts for that elusive world title in 2024.
2. Kerenza Bryson – Modern Pentathlon
Army Modern Pentathlete Second Lieutenant Kerenza Bryson burst onto the scene this season and has put herself firmly into Olympic contention off the back of a stellar year.
Juggling her career in the Army as well as becoming a qualified doctor in the National Health Service, it's no surprise that 2Lt Bryson decided that Modern Pentathlon is just the sport for her.
But she may soon be adding another title to her name: Olympian!
2Lt Bryson qualified a quota place for Team GB in Modern Pentathlon after winning a terrific bronze medal at the World Championships in Bath, which led to her being named Sportswoman of the Year at the 2023 Army Sports Awards.
Although her spot on Team GB in Paris is yet to be confirmed, it would be no surprise if we did see 2Lt Bryson make her Olympic debut at the Palace of Versailles next summer.
3. Taylor Lawrence – Bobsleigh
Royal Marine Commando Taylor Lawrence has put himself well on Team GB's medal radar for the 2026 Winter Olympics after a sensational year as a part of Brad Hall's four-man bobsleigh team, where Marine Lawrence plays an important role as the team's brakeman.
With multiple wins at the Bobsleigh World Cups and the European Championships, the team went on to have a historic result at the World Championships where they won the silver medal, Britain's first medal in the event since 1939.
But the start of the team's 2023/24 season was plagued with injuries, with pilot Brad Hall undergoing surgery on his back, and Arran Gulliver and Greg Cackett battling serious injuries pre-season.
Initially thinking that they'd miss the whole season, the team managed to recover in time to get a World Cup event under their belts before Christmas, where they finished sixth overall in the four-man event.
The team now hope to be fit and ready for the World Championships in Winterburg, Germany, in February and March, where they hope to dethrone the reigning world and Olympic champion Francesco Friedrich.
4. Gregg Stevenson – Para-Rowing
Former Royal Engineer and Afghanistan veteran Gregg Stevenson took up rowing in 2012 and went on to compete at the Invictus Games in 2014.
A double amputee after stepping on an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Helmand Province in 2009, Stevenson won European Championship gold in the PR2 Mixed Double Sculls on his international debut along with experienced partner Lauren Rowles.
The pair then went on a dream run of winning World Cup gold before going on to win gold at the World Championships, where they also qualified a quota place for Team GB at the Paralympic Games.
After such a successful debut season, Stevenson and Rowles are now firm favourites to win a medal at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium in Paris this summer.
5. Stephen Cox – Rowing
Sticking with rowing, Army Lance Corporal Stephen Cox has proven himself to be the epitome of perseverance and never giving up.
After he failed to qualify for the last Olympics in Tokyo, LCpl Cox, who competes in the single sculls for Zimbabwe, initially quit the sport until his wife persuaded him to give his Olympic dream another shot.
After the Royal Logistic Corps soldier didn't earn his Olympic qualification at the World Championships, he went on to the African Championships in Tunisia, where he finished fourth in the final.
That was enough to book and confirm his place for the Olympics in Paris, and he admitted to BFBS that he still has a "lot of speed to find".
He will compete for Zimbabwe in the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium at the Paris Olympics, where he'll be hoping he can pull off a surprise result.
Join Our Newsletter
