Month: March 2018

Michael Simpson

Classification: B7

Event: B6/B7/B8 Triples

Date of Birth: 15/11/1985

Occupation: Optical assembly technician

Born: Kirkcaldy

Hometown: Auchtermuchty

Lives: Auchtermuchty

Club: Strathmiglo BC

Coach: Bob Dick

Games Coach: Bob Christie, Eric McMillan

Commonwealth Games representation: 2014, 2018

Achievements:

  • 2017 Gedling Test Series: Team silver
  • 2017 Home Nations: Team silver
  • 2017 Eight Nations: B6/B7/B8 Triples participant
  • 2016 Home Nations: Team gold
  • 2016 Scottish Indoor Championships: Pairs & Fours qualifier
  • 2015 IBD World Bowls: Mixed Pairs silver
  • 2013 Four Nations Championships: B6/B7/B8 Open Triples gold
  • 2013 Eight Nations Championships: B6/B7/B8 Open Triples gold

Notes: As a mainstream bowler, in 2005 Michael was runner-up in his club championships (Strathmiglo BC).  Four years after losing his legs he repeated that performance in 2012.

Mike Nicoll

Classification: B6

Event: B6/B7/B8 Triples

Date of Birth: 22/07/1957

Occupation: Retired

Born: Montrose

Hometown: Brechin

Lives: Jedburgh

Club: Jedburgh / Tweedbank

Coach: Bob Dick

Games Coach: Bob Christie, Eric McMillan

Commonwealth Games representation: 2018

Achievements:

  • 2017 Home Nations: Team silver
  • 2016 Scottish Championships: B6 Singles gold
  • 2016 Eight Nations: B6/B7/B8 Open Triples 5th

Garry Brown

Classification: B7

Event: B6/B7/B8 Triples

Date of Birth: 03/12/82

Born: Lanark

Hometown: Kirkmuirhill, South Lanarkshire

Lives: Kirkmuirhill, South Lanarkshire

Occupation: Swim Teacher / Coach

Club: Blackwood Victoria (Outdoor) / Blantyre (Indoor)

Coach: Bob Christie / Bob Dick

Games Coach: Bob Christie, Eric McMillan

Commonwealth Games representation: 2018

Achievements:

  • 2017 Scottish Indoor Championships: B7/B8 Singles gold
  • 2017 Able Bodied Scottish Team Championships: gold
  • 2016 Eight Nations: Open B6/B7/B8 Triples 5th
  • 2016 Scottish Indoor Championships: B7/B8 Singles gold
  • 2012 Able Bodied Scottish Team Championships: gold

Notes: Garry has represented Scotland since 2009, including at the 2011 and 2015 IBD World Championships.

Twitter: @gazmanbroon

Robert Barr

Classification: B3

Event: B2/B3 Pairs

Date of Birth: 30 June 1961

Occupation: Traffic sign maker

Hometown: Glasgow

Lives: Glasgow

Club: East Fife Indoor Bowling Club, Whiteinch Indoor Bowling Club

Coach: Bob Dick, Chris Morrow

Games Coach: Bob Christie, Eric McMillan

Achievements:

  • 2017 UK Visually Impaired Indoor Championships: Singles gold
  • 2017 Eight Nations: B2/3 Mixed Pairs silver
  • 2017 SDS Scottish Visually Impaired Outdoor Championships: Singles gold
  • 2017 Home Nations: Team silver
  • 2017 SABB Div 2 Outdoor Championships: Singles gold
  • Fours gold; 2017 Able Bodied Whiteinch Indoor Fours Championships: gold
  • Able Bodied Jordanhill Outdoor Championships: Nominated Triples gold, Balloted Triples gold
  • 2016 Eight Nations: B2/B3 Mixed Pairs silver
  • 2016 Home Nations: Team gold
  • 2015 Able Bodied Glasgow & District Indoor Bowling Association Championships
  • Singles silver

 

Tayside Parasport Festival Goes from Strength to Strength

The Tayside Parasport Festival continues to improve each year, with the 4th annual festival having taken place on Wednesday 14th March. Numbers rose significantly with 42 children with a physical or sensory impairment from across Dundee, Perth & Kinross and Angus accessing the opportunity.

The event was supported by Allardyce Healthcare, Dundee & Angus College and Celtic FC Foundation, without whom the Tayside Parasport Festival would not have been possible.

There were four athlete mentors in attendance on the day. Athlete mentors spoke to the participants regarding their experiences of sport with the aim of inspiring the next generation. Scottish Disability Sport was pleased to welcome Deaflympics double gold medallist Danielle Joyce to Dundee as one of the athlete mentors.

Scottish Governing Bodies, clubs and coaches delivered thoroughly engaging and dynamic sessions to participants in bowls, running basketball, wheelchair basketball, athletics, boccia, wheelchair rugby league, judo, badminton, tennis, goalball, powerchair football and running football.

It was a wonderful event with positive responses from participants, parents and support staff. Following the event, Tayside Regional Manager Jennifer Scally will be looking to contact participants and their families in order to support transition into local opportunities.

Scottish Disability Sport would like to acknowledge all the key partners on the day for all their assistance in making the event happen. Thanks go to Active Schools Dundee, Active Schools Perth & Kinross, Active Schools Angus, Dundee City Disability Sport, Angus Disability Sport, Perth & Kinross Disability Sport, Scottish Athletics, JudoScotland, basketballscotland, Tennis Scotland, Balgay Bowling Club, Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club, Dundee United Community Trust, Madsons Dundee and BADMINTON Scotland.

Grampian’s Tea, Talk & Tri is a hit!

A relaxed triathlon event held in Grampian has been hailed a success!

Tea, Talk & Tri, a celebratory event marking the half way point of Grampian’s Get Out Get Active project, took place in Aberdeen Sports Village and was run by Grampian Disability Sport (GDS) in partnership with Triathlon Scotland.

The event saw approximately 15 participants of all ages, with and without disabilities, try out swimming, cycling and running or walking in an informal environment supported by the fantastic volunteers from GDS & Andy Redman from Triathlon Scotland. Participants were given the opportunity to enter any or all of the disciplines and were offered a range of distances to choose from.

The event focused on providing a no-pressure introduction to sport and physical activity through the flexible nature of the event & the provision of beverages throughout the day, and attracted families from right across Grampian. Bikes for people without disabilities were provided by Triathlon Scotland who benefitted from funding from Cashback for Clubs, and GDS’ fleet of adapted cycles (including tandem bikes, a trike & hand cycles) was brought in to meet the needs of those with disabilities.

Participants left with a thirst for more triathlon & this has been noted by GDS & Triathlon Scotland, who are keen to ensure that ongoing triathlon opportunities are available in the future.

If you, or anyone you know, lives in Grampian with a physical, sensory or learning disability and is keen to get involved in Para Sport, please contact Alison Shaw on alison.shaw@scottishdisabilitysport.com or on 07828 744 848

Grampian’s Orianne Takes Gold Despite Injury

Orianne Slater (2017 British Disability Junior Overall Champion, City of Aberdeen Gymnastics) claimed two medals in her first senior level competition despite being injured.

At the beginning of February, Orianne suffered a serious sprain to her ankle. She was unable to train for four weeks and unfortunately had to withdraw from the Scottish Masters which took place during the 2018 Scottish National Artistic Championships in Perth on February 25th.

Eventually, on March 2nd, Orianne went back to training. Although she had been selected to compete on all four apparatus, she and Lorna Presly (head coach at City of Aberdeen Gymnastics) decided to concentrate on Balance Beam and Uneven Bars for the British Masters. Her routines were adapted and, as a result, the difficulty rating was decreased.

The British Masters, part of the 2018 Gymnastics British Championships on 11th March in Liverpool, was Orianne’s first event at Senior level. She performed well (even adding an element that she hadn’t practiced for weeks to her Bar routine!) and won Gold on Bars (her 3rd British Uneven Bar Champion title in a row) and Bronze on Beam.

Lorna Presly (coach) said: “Fantastic result from Orianne Slater who was selected to take part at the British disability masters this weekend at the Echo Arena in Liverpool. After a disappointing start to  the year for Orianne,  having  to withdraw from the Scottish disabilities masters last month, due to an ankle injury, and to now come home with  gold on bars and bronze on beam.  What a great result! Now to work hard over the next few months, to gain new skills for the Scottish and British championships later on in the year.”

As well as City of Aberdeen Gymnastics club, Orianne’s parents especially wish to thank her coach, Lorna Presly, for her dedication and the Active Aberdeen Partnership for its renewed financial support!

If you, or anyone you know, lives in Grampian with a physical, sensory or learning disability and is keen to get involved in Para Sport, please contact Alison Shaw on alison.shaw@scottishdisabilitysport.com or on 07828 744 848

2018 Fife Boccia and Table Tennis Championships

The Annual Fife Sports Festival supported by Fife Council and Fife Sports and Leisure Trust moved back to the Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre on Monday 19th March for the Fife boccia and table tennis championships.

Rachel Page from Glenrothes was acknowledged as the first winner of the new John de Courcy trophy and crowned Fife boccia champion for 2018. Rachel went undefeated in the Round Robin section for players who use manual or power wheelchairs. Andy Curry from West Fife Community Support Services finished runner up with four wins from five. Craig Kinnell, Yvonne Peggie, Tyler McLelland and Matthew Robinson shared third spot with seven points each.

Prunella Hay from the west of Fife won the novice junior wheelchair section for ramp players and Neil McEwan defeated Liam Ness over five rounds to win the adult section for ambulant players.

Louisa Ramsay won the women’s open table tennis competition and Caitlin de Soyza finished runner up. Stephen Russell won the equivalent men’s section with Chris Cook finishing runner up.

The Festival continues on Wednesday 21st March with the Fife junior 7s football league, series three, being held at Kirkcaldy HS with an earlier than usual start time of 10 30.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

WestMARC Amputee Running Clinic

The West of Scotland Mobility and Rehabilitation Centre, in partnership with Scottish Disability Sport, hosted an amputee running clinic on Saturday 17th March at Scotstoun Leisure Centre in Glasgow.

The Physiotherapists and Prosthetists from WestMARC invited Hayley Ginn, a specialist in coaching lower limb amputees, to advise and coach some of the patients interested in running more effectively and efficiently.

Hayley has worked with Paralympians Jonnie Peacock and Richard Brown, so her knowledge and expertise in this field was appreciated and welcomed by the participants attending on the day.

Five young people with lower limb absence attended in the morning and seven adults in the afternoon.

Hayley set up a number of exercises and skills which assisted the participants to move more proficiently and it also enabled the physiotherapists gain more knowledge and assist the participants when they attend appointments.

A great deal of information and knowledge was shared and WestMARC is keen to organise something similar in the future to enable the participants to progress.

Thanks go to the Celtic FC Inspiring Sport Project and Finding your Feet for their contribution to the event.

Inverclyde Sports Awards 2018

The Inverclyde Sports Personality of the Year Awards took place on Friday 9th March at Greenock Town Hall.

Over 200 people attended the event, which was an occasion dedicated to rewarding the achievements of the athletes in the Inverclyde area, and a number of Para athletes, coaches and clubs were in the running for their respective categories.

The Para athlete of the year was won by the multi-talented Kyle Brotherton, a swimmer with Port Glasgow Otters and a wheelchair racer with Red Star Athletics Club.  Kyle has been a member of both clubs for a number of years and has recently become more prominent in the T54 classification in Wheelchair racing.  He is well supported by his Mum, Kerry, who is always on the move, taking Kyle to various swimming and athletics competitions across the country.  Kyle’s training regime over the past year has been tough and the improvements Kyle has been making to his times is evident.

Port Glasgow Otters swimming club were the worthy recipients of the Club of the Year Award. The club, which has been an invaluable asset to swimmers with a disability in Inverclyde for many years, has produced Paralympians such as Maggi McEleny and Kenny Cairns, but is committed to supporting swimmers at any level and giving them the chance to achieve their potential.  Head Coach, Eddie McLuskey, picked up the award on behalf of the club.

Volunteer of the Year was won by Andrew Hemphill, who coaches at Port Glasgow Otters Swimming Club.  Andrew has been involved in volunteering at the club since he was a student a few years ago and has furthered his coaching qualifications to ensure the swimmers are receiving the best coaching possible.  Andrew has also supported the Scottish Swimming Disability Squad in a voluntary capacity and puts in a huge number of voluntary hours supporting the club in competitions and on training nights.  He is fully deserving of this accolade.

Junior Sports Personality of the Year was awarded to Rhys McCole, a young talented boxer who competes in mainstream boxing and is a great advocate for the sport, for people with disabilities.  Rhys is also a member of the sportscotland Young Peoples Sports Panel and is involved in promoting the benefits of sport and physical activity in all its forms.

Congratulations to all the award winners.  It’s fantastic to see Para athletes, coaches and clubs being recognised for their amazing achievements.