Manchester high jumper Gabrielle Garber is taking it just one step at a time as she bids to achieve her full potential and become the athlete she knows she can be.

The 19-year-old has come on by leaps and bounds during her fledgling career so far, soaring over 1.81m at the 2023 British Championships to clinch not only her first British senior medal but her first major qualifying standard for the European U20 Championships in Jerusalem.

And while further international success remains a keen ambition, Garber is keeping both feet on the ground as she ramps up preparations for next season.

She said: "It’s so easy to have this goal in mind that you don’t know how to get to it and it’s important to have that goal but you need little steps to get there because those steps are more achievable.

"My family’s always had a very good mindset and made me look at things in different perspectives in life and have taught me to be grateful.

"My whole family’s been supporting me my whole life and been a big part of my life. I’ve always played sport; netball, high jump and I stuck to high jump and I’m grateful because I enjoy it."

Garber is one of 50 athletes across a multitude of sports supported by a partnership between SportsAid and Pitching In, a multimillion-pound grassroots sport programme established by Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral.

And with the financial assistance provided by SportsAid instrumental in supporting Garber’s athletic ambitions, the 19-year-old expressed her appreciation toward the organization for their support in helping her navigate the challenges that come with life as an elite-level athlete.  

Garber added: "There aren’t many charities or academies that support young up-and-coming athletes so it’s really nice that SportsAid and other academies and companies like that look for and know these athletes.

"It’s an amazing opportunity. It gives us hope that we can do it, and that people support us. All the extra programs they do, all the seminars and the online courses just help a lot.  

"Athletics is an individual sport. You have to travel everywhere yourself. I work full-time. It has helped me a lot, not just the financial support they give this year but also the knowledge from workshops and the opportunities they give us athletes. It is all really helpful."

Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, is proud to be championing the next generation of British sporting heroes by providing talented young athletes with financial support and personal development opportunities in partnership with SportsAid. Visit entaingroup.com to find out more.