TWO promising Essex sportsmen have been awarded sports scholarships by a Maldon charity.

Jake Offiler, 16, and Ryan Crouch, 22, have become the latest sports stars to be supported by the David Randall Foundation’s scholarship program.

Jake, an aspiring British rower, has won gold at both the London Youth Games and National School events, despite only taking up the sport two years ago.

He is already on the GB pathway, and has his eyes set on becoming an Olympian in the future.

Ryan, meanwhile, is a competitive swimmer who has already represented team GB at the Paralympic Games and is determined to compete at the highest level.

He hopes to qualify for the world championships in Mexico in 2017 and ultimately the Paralympics in Tokyo in 2020.

Ryan has had to fund his ambitions himself, receiving no funding from British Swimming, and trains alongside working a job as a teacher and swim coach at Ipswich Crown Pools.

The David Randall Foundation hopes that the financial support it provides through the scholarship will allow Ryan to cover the travel costs needed to train at a 50m pool at the London Aquatic Centre, as well as competition fees, racing suits and additional nutrition.

Ryan, who has mild cerebral palsy, said: “I am very grateful to the David Randall Foundation for their support which will make a real difference to my preparation for the para trials for this year’s world championships.

“The grant is going to help me continue my dream of competing at the highest level of my sport and will also hopefully help me to inspire other young people to realise that, with hard work and dedication, they too can achieve their goals.”