North Leeds badminton starlet Alice Wu was inspired by her brother Oliver to forge her path as a shuttler and now she is on the road to Paris 2024 as a Team GB Mini Mascot. 

The eight-year-old Talbot Primary School pupil is one of six children selected to be a mascot for the Games, an extraordinary opportunity to be part of the action on Team GB’s journey to Paris. 

Wu looks up to badminton idol and world champion An Se-young and hopes she can one day match her dizzying heights in addition to representing Great Britain. 

“I wanted to enter the Team GB mini mascot competition because I wanted to do something different,” she said. “I’ve never been to Paris so I’m really looking forward to one day going. 

“I want to be like An Se-young because she’s got really good talent. I get training sessions at David Lloyd and hopefully one day I can be like her. 

“In badminton, when I was younger and saw my brother training, I just wanted to follow his footsteps, so that’s why I got really into it. 

“At the Paris Olympics, I’m looking forward to watching the swimming because Great Britain are really good.”

Wu’s father Jianhua jumped at the chance for his daughter to be part of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when a Badminton England email about the experience landed in his inbox. 

The 42-year-old said, “I helped Alice apply to be a Team GB Mini Mascot because I thought it would be a fantastic opportunity for her.

“She has trained very hard at badminton and she’s excited to watch the players competing in Paris 2024.”

As part of the kitting-out day at the Olympic Park, mascots were given a surprise opportunity to meet canoe slalom world champion and Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Mallory Franklin.

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Franklin shared her experiences on the world stage with the budding young athletes and believes the Mini Mascot campaign can inspire a generation to get active.

“What I’ve learnt about myself and how much I’ve developed through being an athlete, I definitely want to give back and encourage kids to do that and support them on the journey if I can,” Franklin said.

“It’s amazing for them to be able to get an insight on what it is to be an Olympian and everything that goes with it.

“It’s a really exciting thing to be part of at their age as Team GB Mini Mascots.”

If you’d like to hear more about the Mini Mascots and follow their journey, head to https://www.teamgb.com/article/team-gb-announces-six-children-as-official-mini-mascots-for-paris-2024/68VUqFDbCdljGDTHcEuXpn