Shelby Watson was in action in the Paralympic Meet in Barcelona and was in superb form, too. In fact, the young Scot won both her races at 100m and 200m to once again confirm her potential.
The T33 wheelchair racer already holds five World Records and set two of them in the same event in Spain last year.
Scotland’s Sammi Kinghorn left her opponents in her wake to set a 200m T53 World Record at Mesa, Arizona. The Rio Paralympian, 21, raced home in 28.67 seconds to knock a remarkable 0.26 seconds off the record set by US racer Jessica Galli five years ago.
It was a superb performance by the wheelchair racer from the Borders who is coached by Ian Mirfin.
Kinghorn, who won 200m T53 bronze at the 2015 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, demonstrated that she will be a force to be reckoned with at the World Para Athletics Championships in London later this summer with that performance. She also led from the front to win the 800m in 1.52.05. By the end of the meet, Sammi had five gold medals to her name with wins in a further three events.
She took the 100m in 16.63 which was into a headwind and only 100th outside her own European record. In the 1500m, Sammi won a tactical race against T54 athletes in 3.35.53, opening up a four-second gap in the last 200m. Her 55.32 time in the 400m was only five hundredths outside her own European record.
Sammi then moved on to compete at the Daniela Jutzeler Meet in Arbon, Switzerland, where she was once again in superb form. The young Scot set a 100m European record with a win in 16.21 and that time was just 0.02 outside the World Record and the second fastest of all time in her classification. Then, in the 400m, Sammi set another European record of 53.72 in second place in the race for the second fastest of all time (and inside the previous WR).
Sammi can’t stop setting records at the moment and she clocked another European best in the T53 800m in 1.47.60 at the Swiss Champs with a great performance.
That followed victories in Arbon again, when the Paralympian won the 100m T53/T54 overall in 16.38 and 400m T53/T54 overall in 54.08. She finished third in the T53/T54 1500m heat in a new Scottish record of 3.26.35.
There were also PBs for young Scots athletes Luke Deighan, Sean Frame and Kyle Brotherton at this event.
Many congratulations to Sammi, her family and coach Ian Mirfin, on a really strong start to the season ahead of London.
Injury has ruled Libby Clegg out of the World Para Athletics Championships in London this summer. Unfortunately, double Rio sprint champion Libby sustained a calf injury earlier this week and will not recover in time for July.
Alongside her guide runner, Chris Clarke, Clegg secured great success in 2016, winning the T11 100m and 200m titles at the Paralympic Games in Rio and setting world records in both events.
‘It is with a mixture of emotions that I have to announce that due to injury, I will be unable to compete at this year’s World Para Athletics Championships in London,’ said the 27-year-old Scot, a gold medallist at Glasgow 2014.
‘I sustained a calf injury during a training session this week and have been advised by the medical team at British Athletics that it will be impossible for me to recover in time for the championships.
‘I am still going through the various emotions of disappointment and frustration as despite the setback of my guide runner, Chris, picking up an Achilles injury earlier this year, I felt training was going really well and couldn’t wait to return to London as double Paralympic Champion.’
Project SEARCH aims to prepare young job-seekers with additional support needs, aged between 16-29, for full-time, competitive employment.
Working hours are Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm from August to June. The young people take part in three work experience placemenets and gain a nationally recognised qualification.
Final application deadline: Monday 12 June 2017 at midday.
Apply online on City of Edinburgh Council’s website. Any questions? Contact 0131 529 3139 or project.search@edinburgh.gov.uk.
ClimbScotland will be running a climbing festival on the 17th June at Edinburgh International Climbing Arena, which will include Paraclimbing elements including free come and try sessions!
We are keen to get the word out to as many people as possible about this event.
All the info on the event can be viewed on our website: http://www.climbscotland.net/what%60s-happening/what%60s-on/climbscotland-festival-2017.
Congratulations to the amazing Susanne McGrath who completed the Edinburgh marathon today in 3.46, a personal best by 9 minutes. Susanne’s coach Pamela Robson sent back the attached photos of an extremely proud and committed athlete who has now completed her second Edinburgh Marathon.
The only disappointment is that the new Bromakin racing wheelchair she has on order has not yet arrived. At no time has this fazed Susanne who yet again completed the marathon challenge in a borrowed DSF wheelchair supported by running repairs. What a class athlete and determined young mum.
Richard Brickley MBE
President, Disability Sport Fife
Well done to Jonny Brown who completed his first ever road race at the Edinburgh 10K in a time of 1.11. This course is really tough for wheelchair users but Jonny stuck to his race plan and completed the distance with coach Pamela Robson running with him. Since securing a new race chair with support from Scottish Disability Sport, Jonny has committed to an indoor and outdoor training programme that his paid dividends. This could be the first of many road races to come. Well done Jonny.
Richard Brickley MBE
President, Disability Sport Fife
The Annual General Meeting of Glasgow Disability Sport took place on Wednesday 17th May at the sportscotland Offices in Glasgow.
Gordon McCormack OBE, Chairperson, welcomed members of clubs and other interested parties who work with the branch to develop opportunities across the city.
Glasgow has been in a state of transition over the last couple of years and the AGM agenda aimed to look at the next steps in strengthening the Branch structure, increasing memberships and identifying new committee members.
Applications for new committee members were sought in the lead up to the AGM and during the course of the meeting, three new members were co-opted onto the committee.
The branch is hopeful of taking on a co-ordinator in the near future to establish more contact with clubs, and to organise additional events which will link to the Scottish Disability Sport National Events calendar.
The positivity of the membership at the AGM and the ambition to move the disability sport agenda in Glasgow forward was hugely evident and we look forward to the year ahead for Glasgow Disability Sport.
The Get Out Get Active (GOGA in Fife) programme plans to encourage and support inactive individuals and groups to engage and remain “active for life”. It focuses on increasing the number of people who are active, through effective engagement and signposting to local quality physical activity options.
Supported by Spirit of 2012, GOGA in Fife will inspire children, young people and adults with a physical, sensory or learning disability, plus significant others, to access and enjoy active recreation, including sport. GOGA in Fife is inclusive in ethos and practice and involves key Disability Sport Fife partners Fife Council, Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, Scottish Disability Sport, the local voluntary sector and three national partners concerned with walking, cycling and swimming.
With support from GOGA, Disability Sport Fife (DSF) has teamed up with the Scottish FA Football Development Officers from Active Fife and the Fife Sports and Leisure Trust to introduce a walking football programme for participants with additional support needs. The programme has offered DSF its first opportunity to locate a session within the Beacon Leisure Centre in Burntisland on Thursday mornings between 11 00 and 12 00. The plan however is to roll out a programme across Fife throughout the year.
Scottish FA Coach Dave Costello leads the session in his unique charismatic style. Participants from West Fife CSS, Central Fife CSS and Balwearie HS Department for Pupils with Additional Support Needs are attending regularly. Within a few weeks 20 participants have registered. Specifically targeted are players with severe and complex needs and those who are no longer able to play the running version of the game that they know and love. The promotion of walking is a key driver of GOGA in Fife and walking football is proving to be a very popular walking activity.
Richard Brickley MBE
President, Disability Sport Fife
Well done to the small squad of Fife swimmers who headed north to represent Team Fife at the 2017 SDS Senior Championships for Swimmers with a learning disability and many thanks to the families and East and Central Fife Community Support Services who ensured that Fife was represented.
18 swimmers competed, which was only one third of the original Disability Sport Fife (DSF) selection. The closure of Tollcross Leisure Centre in Glasgow for repairs necessitated a move to the Inverness Sports Centre and an increased amount of travel time and a much longer day. Within the Fife team there are a significant number of swimmers with complex needs and the decision was taken that the challenge of the longer day would not have been in the interest of a number of Fife swimmers.
Julie Allan, Michelle Wallace, Ryan Peterson, Tanis Murphy, Paul Coultard, Carrie Anne Smith and Connor Greer won national titles. The Fife Team was led by Carolyn Clunie from East Fife CSS with support from parents, Nicky Blyth (Central Fife CSS) and Ann Malcolm (East Fife CSS). Team Fife ended up fourth in the Inter Area competition with 123 points, behind winners West of Scotland, Tayside and Highland. The performances of the Fife swimmers overall were outstanding.
In addition to the swimmers who won national titles, the 11 other swimmers who represented Fife were Matthew Blissett, Allan Robertson, Shaun Rowcliffe, Mark Walker, Michael Wilkie, Andrew Hunter, Carter Taylor, Gavin Smith, Susan Barrett, Angela Robertson, and Wendy Robertson.
A full set of results will appear on the DSF website shortly www.fifeleisure.org.uk
Richard Brickley MBE
President, Disability Sport Fife