IRISH development squad sailor Ellen Barbour and young badminton ace Paige Woods have each secured a £2000 Make It Happen funding award from the Mary Peters Trust.
The Trust’s ‘Make It Happen’ awards are presented annually to outstanding athletes helping them take advantage of specialist cutting-edge training and development opportunities aimed at propelling their sporting careers to the next level.
Ellen, alongside her 49er FX sailing partner Erin McIlwaine, (pictured above) aim to make it to this year’s World Championships in Calgliari, Sardinia during October 2025.
The Make It Happen Award will support the pair attending Winter training camps in Cadiz and Vilamoura, followed by competitions at Kiel and Gdynia ahead of the Junior World Championships in Copenhagen.
“Then hopefully we’ll be in the best position to excel at the ‘Worlds’ in Sardinia,” explains Ellen.
Ellen, who is from Whitehead, County Antrim, competes in the 49er FX class (a double-handed high performance sailing dinghy) with good friend Erin McIlwaine from Kilkeel, who is also a Mary Peters Trust athlete.
The 49er FX is a women’s Olympic class designed to suit the weight of an elite female crew. Whilst Ellen and Erin have trained together as part of the RYA Northern Ireland Sailing Academy since their early teens, their sailing partnership only began in March 2024.
“We each suit our different roles very well and work brilliantly together,” says Ellen.
Both girls are studying Physiotherapy at Trinity College, Dublin and train at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire near to where the Irish Sailing Performance Centre is based.
“I’m thrilled to receive a Make it Happen Award,” Ellen added.
“It’s vital financial support which helps keep me on track and be ready for the big competitions. Ultimately my dream goal (and Erin’s too!) is Olympics qualification for LA in 2028 and beyond to Brisbane 2032.”
Ellen Barbour and Lady Mary
Eighteen-year-old Paige Woods will use her £2000 award to support her development programme and ultimately realise her sporting dream of competing at an Olympic Games.
The Hunterhouse College A-Level student and Alpha Badminton Club competitor has represented Ulster and Ireland at every level (U13s to U19s) since she was nine and this year moves up a level and aims to compete in senior championships at home and abroad.
Currently number 1 in Ireland at U19 level for both Ladies and Mixed Doubles and number 4 for Ladies Doubles seniors and U19 Ladies Singles, Paige represented Ireland along with club colleague Roisin McKenna at the 2024 European Juniors (U19s) held in Ibiza, Spain during December.
Team Ireland started with a victory over Portugal (3-2) with Paige and Roisin winning both their matches, before Ireland lost out to Germany and Belgium.
Alpha Badminton Club paid tribute to both girls saying: “It was such an incredible achievement for these two young women at the Europeans. We couldn’t be prouder of you both.”
Paige’s home club, Lisburn based Alpha Badminton, believes she has tremendous potential, and the teenager has chalked up a huge number of medal successes in the past two years.
These include Gold in the Ladies Doubles Munster U19 Open and the Ladies Doubles Grade A Nationals in Dublin.
She also achieved Silver in the Munster U19 Mixed Doubles, the Senior Nationals Ladies Doubles and the U19 Irish Open Ladies Doubles held in Dublin.
Added to this list of accolades, is a bronze in the U19 Portuguese Open Ladies Doubles. Paige explains: “Now that I’ll be competing at senior level, my goal is to be selected for the Senior Irish Team and to play overseas in the Senior Future Series Events.”
Congratulating both girls on their achievements to date, Lady Mary Peters said: “These additional cash awards presented to the very best of our emerging young talent are vital in making a difference to an athlete’s progress and opportunities to improve.
“I wish Paige and Ellen the very best of luck for their training schedule and upcoming competitions. I know they will give of their very best to achieve goals and secure potential future successes.
“I look forward to following Ellen and Paige’s sporting journey during 2025 and going forward to the future.”
Paige Woods, dad Trevor and Lady Mary
