Sophie Dacombe, an 18-year-old footballer from Eaglescliffe, played every match as part of the Great Britain Deaf Women’s Football team at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics, held last month in Fukushima, Japan.
She said: “I would hope that I would stand a good chance of being selected.
“It was amazing and different to anything I have ever experienced before.
“It was a huge relief to take third place.”
Sophie Dacombe, who played a key role in helping the Great Britain Deaf Women’s Football team secure a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics in Fukushima, Japan. (Image: Supplied)
The bronze medal adds to a growing list of achievements for Ms Dacombe, who has moderate to severe bilateral hearing loss.
She first discovered deaf football three years ago and now plays for Norton Ladies FC and has represented the England Deaf Ladies team.
Her debut for England Deaf Ladies came in a friendly at just 15 years old, and in 2024, she helped Great Britain qualify for the Deaflympics by defeating Poland Deaf Women at Hanley Town FC.
Sophie, who is studying A levels at Bede Sixth Form College in Billingham, said: “Playing at this level has opened-up opportunities that I might not otherwise have had.”
She explained one of the key differences in deaf football: “If you wear hearing aids, you have to take them off to put everyone on an equal playing field.”
With hearing aids removed, players rely on visual cues, including the referee’s flag to start and stop play, and must use alternative communication methods on the pitch.
The team, which is self-funded, raised the money needed to travel to Tokyo, where they competed against teams from the United States, Japan, Australia, and Kenya.
Despite the tough competition, Sophie was hopeful from the outset.
She said: “With just a small number of countries in the competition we hoped that we could get a medal.”
Standing on the podium at J-Village Stadium in Fukushima, she and her teammates marked a significant achievement.
Sophie said: “It was amazing and different to anything I have ever experienced before.”
Although she felt a silver medal was within reach, she was proud of the team’s effort and the result.
Back home, she is balancing her sporting success with studies in PE, politics, and religion, philosophy and ethics at Bede Sixth Form College.
Sophie is part of the college’s Institute of Sport and Education, which supports promising athletes in combining academic and athletic development.
She also plays for the Bede Women’s Football Academy, in partnership with Durham Women’s Football Club.
Her ambitions are already focused on the road ahead.
She said she is aiming for the 2027 World Deaf Football Championships in Australia and is even considering the 2029 Summer Deaflympics in Athens.
For Sophie deaf football has opened up new pathways in the sport.
She said: “Playing at this level has opened-up opportunities that I might not otherwise have had.”
She is now determined to build on her success and continue representing her country on the world stage.