Sarah Stevenson
© News International
 |
The profits from the British premiere of Jackie Chan’s new film, Shanghai
Noon, are to be passed on to Sarah Stevenson, a student at Don Valley
High School, who believes that her youth is no barrier to her winning
the Olympic title.
Disney Films came to hear of the impoverished plight of the Stevenson
family through an article in The Times in July. It was brought it to
Chan’s notice and he agreed to help. "I don’t know what to say, I am
overwhelmed," Sarah, who is in Orlando, Florida, to compete in the
junior Olympics this week, said. "I cannot believe that
somebody so famous would be interested in me."
Mr Stevenson’s home has fallen into disrepair while he has tried to
fund his daughter’s Olympic dream, raising funds to send her to
lessons and competitions through car boot sales and garden fairs. "We
have had to struggle a hell of a lot," Mr Stevenson said.
Sarah, who returns from Florida on Wednesday, will meet up with Chan
next Friday at a demonstration for a junior kung-fu club then
accompany him on stage at the Odeon, Leicester Square, before the
premiere the following day. Mr Stevenson said his daughter would not
hesitate if asked to do a demonstration with Chan. "She is not
frightened of anybody," Mr Stevenson said.
She has taken a year off school to train for the Olympics, promising
to return even if she wins in Sydney. World junior champion at 15,
European junior champion and senior world quarter-finalist at 16,
Stevenson has grown up fast in a sport that she took up at seven
because she felt left out when her brother went off to do it.
At 11, she was runner-up in a tournament for 14-year-olds and upwards
in Sindelfingen, Germany, and, at 16, was pitched in with the senior
heavyweights at the Barcelona Open, emerging as the winner. Never mind
that she was a junior 67kg fighter. She trains mainly with men, kicks
like a mule, and confesses to frightening off boyfriends.
"I read in The Times about her dad doing car boot sales and we thought
it would be a lovely story - Jackie Chan helping a young martial arts
hopeful," Phil Cairns, publicist for Buena Vista, film distributor
for Disney in Britain, said. "We expect to raise about £2,500 for her
and, although it is not an enormous amount, it may help her get
sponsorship."
Mr Stevenson, who has a factory job as a rope capper, said that
obtaining sponsorship had been nigh impossible, although she has
received National Lottery sports funding. He squeezes a few pounds
here and there out of local businesses, gets shops to stump up raffle
prizes, and is forever knocking on neighbours doors selling draw
tickets.
Shanghai Noon is the story of love, comedy and kung fu based on Chan’s
attempt to rescue a princess. Mr Stevenson has long been a fan on
Chan’s films. "He’s the top martial artist but funny too," Mr
Stevenson said. "This is absolutely marvellous news, something right
out of the blue, and it will give Sarah a real boost with the
Olympics only seven weeks away."
Depite the news, Mr Stevenson is not planning his retirement from
funding activities. He estimates that Sarah needs some £15,000 a year
for her sport. So the car boot sales at Stainforth Market and
Oldcoates are still in his diary for this weekend, even if the entry
for a week later looks rather more glamorous.
DAVID POWELL
The Times
