Month: June 2024

27/06/2024

Nine Scots on British Curling’s World Class Programme

British Curling announced last week their biggest ever cohort of Para athletes to be selected for the World Class Programme 2024-2025 season, and nine Scots made the cut.

The 12 strong squad includes five Scottish Paralympians: Hugh Nibloe, Gregor Ewan, Robert McPherson, Gary Smith and Meggan Dawson Farrell, alongside Jo (Joanna) Butterfield, Gary Logan, Charlotte McKenna and Martin Sutherland as World Championship representatives. England’s Stewart Pimblett completes the set of the experienced athletes.

Newcomers to that squad are England’s Mixed Doubles world champs Karen Aspey and Julian Mattison, who have moved up from Paralympic Performance Foundation (PPF) level.

Three more of last season’s PPF squad join the Programme: Scotland’s Keith Gray and England’s George Potts and Jason Kean have graduated to national level support, a group that is completed by a third English player Jean Guild.

“Congratulations to all of those who have been selected to the world class programme this season after a rigorous selection process,” said British Curling Paralympic Head Coach Sheila Swan.

“This is the largest squad we have recruited to the Paralympic programme and consists of many familiar faces and experienced athletes along with lots of fresh blood, demonstrating how effectively our Paralympic pathway is now working, enhanced by our recruitment campaigns north and south of the border, with more English athletes on board than ever before.

“International wheelchair curling has never been so competitive, which is being felt ever more keenly with just two years to go to Mila Cortina in 2026 with two medal opportunities available from the team and mixed doubles disciplines in the Paralympic programme for the first time.

“We believe having a large squad will not only boost our chances in 2026 and beyond, we also know it will help everyone at different stages of the pathway to develop well in order to win well when it counts in 2026.”

Selected athletes for 2024/25 – Paralympic Squad:

Charlotte McKenna

Gary Logan

Gary Smith

Gregor Ewan

Hugh Nibloe

Joanna Butterfield

Julian Mattison

Karen Aspey

Martin Sutherland

Meggan Dawson-Farrell

Robert McPherson

Stewart Pimblett

Charlotte McKenna

27/06/2024

The Power of Pride

By William Moncrieff, Communications Apprentice

June is recognised internationally as Pride Month. It provides millions of people worldwide with a platform to raise awareness for the LGBTQ+ community.

Lynne Glen, Scottish Disability Sports’ Head of Development and proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, believes that it is incredibly important to have role models in the sport community.

“It is essential for everyone to see the LGBTQ+ community represented in all areas of sport and physical activity. The visibility of LGBTQ+ individuals can change the perceptions of people who aren’t part of the community and reinforce to people of all ages who want to come out, that sports can offer a positive experience and impact on individuals by participating, which can be significant to their health and wellbeing,” said Lynne.

Lynne knows the impact that role models can have and feels passionate about challenging misconceptions: “Generally, I want to fit into life with everyone else but I don’t shy away from mentioning my wife in conversation as it is essential to be visible and not hide away.”

She continues to say, “I do feel a responsibility to do this, as the many LGBTQ+ have done so before me to make it easier for me to live my life as an out gay woman. I find this easier now but haven’t always.”

Lynne has been involved in disability sport in various capacities since 2002. Her journey started as a volunteer within the Falkirk area. Following this, she and her wife set up Denny Devils Multi Sports Club – a multisport club for children and young people with a disability.

“I felt very passionate about everyone accessing sports and physical activity, and volunteering in disability sports was very rewarding,” said Lynne.

Today – alongside her work at Scottish Disability Sport – Lynne volunteers at a local Boccia club as a safeguarding officer as well as often overseeing the volunteer recruitment and development. Furthermore, she is a volunteer director with Judo Scotland, focusing her efforts on promoting and supporting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Lynne believes that Pride Month alongside other campaigns, such as The Rainbow Laces Campaign, play an important role in challenging societal perceptions: “They raise awareness in the community to non-members of the community, showing that we are not any different from anyone else who may be in your workplace or be your club member or volunteer. Also that the LGBTQ+ community can offer diverse thinking and outcomes for your organisation.”

Although there has been development in societal acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, it is an important conversation to continue having.

“I definitely do feel there has been a shift in acceptance in society but I also feel more progress can be made, as many people still experience discrimination in their everyday lives,” said Lynne.

“I find it easier to be open and out within my professional role in SDS.  I feel confident being ‘my authentic self’ and can speak openly about my wife and family. This hasn’t always been the case in previous employment in different sectors though.  We had to wait for almost twenty years before we could marry. Thankfully, same sex people can now marry and have been able to do so since 2014, which is a huge cultural change in Scotland but unfortunately, there are many countries that don’t have such progressive views or practices.”

Lynne continued to say: “More representation from members of the community in all walks of life will result in more diverse strategy, policy, planning and practice at local level which will in turn result in more engagement from diverse communities. This has to be proportionate to target resources at engaging and retaining diverse communities and in particular those with intersecting communities.”

Lynne hopes that, “the next generation of young people will face no discrimination for being ‘different’ and will embrace who they are without worrying about what others think about them. Everyone would be considered as an individual with no judgement and would be seen as valued members of their community regardless of who they are, how they identify and who they love.”

SDS uses sport as a platform to help promote a fully inclusive and diverse society, one that is accepting of everyone. Through strong leadership and effective partnerships, SDS will engage and sustain participants, support athlete progression and influence change, whilst practicing their values of inclusion, respect, integrity and ambition.

25/06/2024

The Impact of Volunteering at SDS Events

By William Moncrieff, Communications Manager

The National Senior Learning Disability Swimming Championships took place on Saturday 18th May, with volunteers playing a vital part in the day’s smooth running. sportscotland’s communication theme for the month of June, #VolunteerInSport, has provided the perfect opportunity to highlight all the contributions of volunteers throughout the course of the championship.

Volunteers showed up and supported in many different roles: coaches, scorers and general helpers.

The Championships were held in Inverness and Josie Aitken was a key volunteer, Team Highland. Josie said, “I’m here with the local swim team, which I’ve been involved with for around 20 years. I’m the swim team secretary and I’m here to help everyone, making sure that both the swimmers and coaches have everything they need for the day.”

She continued to say: “I get such a buzz from these competitions; I just love seeing all the other clubs here and just seeing everyone taking part”.

As part of the Young Leaders program, four students from local schools attended the championships. “When you’re a leader you get involved at your school, and your leadership coordinator gets you to help out at sports days, primary school sports days and other events that are happening in the local area”, said Young Leader, Tori.

“It’s been really good seeing the swimmers enjoy themselves, both when they win or if they lose”, said Tori.

Tori urges anyone to try volunteering, “Just speak to someone about it and don’t be scared. Soon you get into it, it’s a great community and once you get started everyone seems to know everyone else and it’s a great place to be.”

Another one of the young leaders, Grace, explained that, “I’ve really enjoyed watching the swimming, never having seen it in person before. You can see how much everyone is enjoying it, they’re finding it to be a fantastic experience.”

Commenting on the impact of volunteers, Grace said: “Volunteers are really important, they’re always there to help. The events couldn’t go on without them.”

Participants also commented on the impact and importance of volunteers.

“I would like to thank my coaches, Eileen and Jen, along with all the helpers. They’ve done a great job”, said Maria, one of the swimmers from Dundee Discovery.

Kai, a volunteer from Team Glasgow, explained how the day had been great for his personal development. “I haven’t worked with a group with learning disabilities before. I had only worked with children, going through some of the basics. So, for me this has been good, developing new skills and gaining confidence by coaching a new group.”

Tracey Hunter, another volunteer from Team Glasgow, shared her thoughts on the day. “We’ve all got on really well. The swimmers have all been great and they have been smashing their personal bests.”

When asked how important volunteers are for the club, Tracy said, “volunteers are everything. If it wasn’t for volunteers we wouldn’t have a club”.

The number of people volunteering across the country has declined over recent years, due to several different factors. However, the experiences and skills that one can gain through volunteering are hugely impactful and beneficial.

Tracey explained that once people start to volunteer, they love it. “They see the benefits for the kids and the adults from being in the water and competing. It gives them confidence and something to look forward to. It’s all about the community and the social environment.”

If you would be interested in volunteering, you can explore this by reaching out to your local branch to see what opportunities are available.

21/06/2024

Kinghorn and Sandilands Amongst First 10 Para Athletics Names Announced for Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

Two Scots are among the 10 athletes selected for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games announced by ParalympicsGB today, in the first wave of selection.

Following a successful World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe last month, as well as several fine displays by Para athletes in the early stages of the season, ten athletes have been confirmed for the Games.

Scotland’s Samantha Kinghorn (from Red Star AC and coached by Rodger Harkins) and Ben Sandilands (Fife AC athlete who is coached by Steve Doig) – who both have world titles to their name – join the first cohort of selected athletes.

Following the announcement, Sammi said, “I’m so excited to be competing at my third Paralympic Games in Paris. Lots of my friends and family will be coming over to watch me and I can’t wait to get going now really feeling the fire!”

It’ll be a third consecutive Paralympics for Sammi (Samantha) whilst Ben will be a first time Paralympian in Paris, competing in the 1500m T20. Sammi will be aiming to build on the success of Tokyo 2020, where she reached the podium on two occasions: silver in the 400m T53 and bronze in the 100m T53. She will compete in three events in Paris – the 100m, 400m and 800m T53.

The second and final wave of para athletics selection take place on 22 July 2024 with the full team announced soon afterwards.

Penny Briscoe, Chef de Mission at ParalympicsGB, said: “I’m delighted to welcome such a strong group of experienced and talented Para athletes to the ParalympicsGB team for Paris 2024. All ten individuals have already shown what they are capable of at the highest level, so I am really excited to see what they can achieve at the Paralympic Games in Paris later this summer.”

Tommy Yule, Para Athletics Team Leader at the Paralympic Games, said: “Congratulations to all 10 athletes for earning their call-up to Paris 2024. They have all worked incredibly hard with their support networks to get to this point, so they should be proud of their achievement.

“With just over two months to go until the Games begin, we will be supporting and engaging with all these athletes’ in their preparations, to add the most value to ensure they are best prepared for the Games.”

A total of around 230 athletes from 19 sports are expected to make up the British team that will compete in Paris, with further names to be announced by ParalympicsGB in the next few weeks.

At Tokyo 2020 ParalympicsGB won medals across a record breaking 18 different sports – the highest number of any nation ever. Paralympics GB finished second on the medal table with 124 medals overall, including 41 gold, 38 silver and 45 bronze.

Scots selected –

Women

Sammi Kinghorn (Rodger Harkins, Red Star) – T53 100m, 400m and 800m

Men

Ben Sandilands (Steve Doig, Fife) – T20 1500m

18/06/2024

Newcomers and Squad Members Unite at Scottish Boccia Event

The National Scottish Boccia Closed Championships took place at The Peak in Stirling on Saturday 15th of July, with 25 athletes competing for the title of Scottish Champion.

A development squad was also present on the day, with 12 athletes joining to make it the biggest draw to date.

The development draw provided potential classifiable athletes the opportunity to compete and learn more about higher level competition; watching some of Scotland’s finest boccia players in action- proving to be a great experience for the development squad with plenty of learnings to takeaway.

Within the development draw there were two categories: a mixed BC1,2 & 4 category with 5 athletes and a BC3 development draw with 3 athletes and their ramp operators. For some of the athletes, it was their first time competing at a National competition, whilst for others, it was their first ever boccia competition.

“It has been a fantastic event with many close games,” said Jonathan Kennedy, SDS’s Boccia Development Officer.

“What is really great to see is the amount of players in the development draw coming to this event. I spoke to one who said that this is their first ever event and quite a few of the other players have spoken to the Scottish squad athletes.

“It’s great to see the Scottish squad players taking the time to talk and share their knowledge with the development players all in the same place,” said Jonathan.

There were some fantastic games played throughout the entire day. Podium placers per each category are listed here:

BC2:

Gold – Alex Medley
Silver – Kayleigh Haggo
Bronze – Lewis McConnell

BC3:

Gold – Patric Wilson & Meredith Greenwood
Silver – Ross MacNeil & Stewart MacNeil

BC4:

Gold – Stephen McGuire
Silver – Tyler McLelland
Bronze – Fiona Muirhead

Development Draw:

Gold – James O’Brien
Silver – Murrin Widley
Bronze – Layla McCloskey

BC3 Development Draw:

Gold – Zac Cameron & Kevin Davidson
Silver – Ellie MacLaren & Lisa MacLaren
Bronze – Caoimhe Potter & Katie MacMillan

Many thanks to all the officials who helped the event run smoothly and for providing support to the development athletes; ensuring that they understood the rules and call room procedures. Thank you also to Barclays volunteers who helped support the officials. A final thank you goes to Motability and their sponsorship of this event.

17/06/2024

SDS Demonstrates Best Practice at the Scottish Student Sport Conference

Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) was delighted to take up an invitation from Scottish Student Sport (SSS) to present at their annual conference. Our West of Scotland Regional Manager, Fraser Kennedy, joined the SSS Inclusion and Culture Coordinator Eilidh Gibson and Lynne Glen, SDS Head of Development, to provide an overview of SDS and their partnership work with SSS.

The presentation to the conference delegates raised awareness of the following:

- Importance of inclusive practice – highlighting the education and learning workshops available to college and university students,
- Volunteering opportunities that SDS and its member branches can offer students,
- Connecting and working in partnership with SDS Regional Managers and the branch network across Scotland.

Fraser highlighted the best practice model of the Glasgow Partnership Forum, which includes the Sports Development Coordinator, the representatives from the Strathclyde Sports Union, the City of Glasgow College Active Campus Co-ordinator, SSS and SDS. The partners work together to increase opportunities across the two institutions for students with disabilities.

12/06/2024

ParalympicsGB Announces Boccia Squad for Paris 2024

Three-time Paralympic champion David Smith and reigning world champion Claire Taggart head up a five-strong squad of brilliant British boccia players who will line up for ParalympicsGB at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games this August.

Smith – who became Britain’s most decorated boccia player after successfully defending his Paralympic title at the rescheduled Tokyo Games three years ago – will head to the French capital looking to add to his current tally of five Paralympic medals from four Games.

Northern Irish athlete Taggart heads to Paris as the world number one in her class. The 29-year-old, who claimed her first global title in 2022, will compete in the new individual female category introduced for these Games – mixed events had been on the schedule when she competed at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

Taggart said: “I’m delighted to be selected to compete at my third Paralympic Games in Paris. It’s a huge opportunity to compete in front of family and friends, as Paris is so close. I’m really excited as well as a bit nervous!”

Former frame runner and swimmer Kayleigh Haggo will meanwhile make her Paralympic debut after an impressive season which saw her win her first major international medal in Zagreb in April.

The Scot, who has won several world titles in frame running before switching to boccia in 2022, will also compete alongside Taggart and Smith in the BC1/2 Team event, the trio fresh from winning silver at the Sao Paulo World Cup last week.

Smith said: “I’m really excited for my fifth Paralympic Games and it will be great to play in front of a crowd again, after the Tokyo Games was limited by Covid. While I do love playing individually, the team event has always been a strong passion of mine. The team medal was my first at a Paralympics, so it’s kind of where I learned my craft. Our team then went into a bit of a transition, so it’s always been my ambition to return us to where we were.”

Haggo, who has dreamt of competing at a Paralympic Games ever since she attended the London 2012 Paralympic Games aged 12 with her mother, said: “I cannot wait to represent ParalympicsGB. After 13 years of competing internationally across three different sports, my dream has finally come true. From the first time I played, the tactics and excitement of boccia had me hooked. And in Paris, I want to enjoy every moment and play the best I can.”

Fellow Paralympic debutants Will Arnott and teenager Sally Kidson complete a stellar squad and will line up in the BC3 Pairs event having won gold at the qualifying event in Japan earlier this year.

Kidson – who is supported by ramp assistant Hannah Stewart – is the youngest athlete in the boccia line-up. 2023 was a breakout year for the young star from Salisbury, beating the likes of world champion Ana Costa and European champion Sonia Heckel.

The 19-year-old said: “I’m absolutely over the moon to have been selected to represent ParalympicsGB. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am grateful beyond words to be a part of such an incredible group of people. It’s been a crazy journey so far, filled with challenges, triumphs and many, many hours of hard work, but I can’t wait to see what lies ahead.”

Arnott, 25, is supported by ramp assistant Connor Wellfare and they both live in Reading. Together, they secured a silver medal at the 2023 Para European Championships.

Arnott said: “I am so proud to be part of this squad. It feels as if the hard work that goes on in the background is starting to pay off and I’m thrilled to make my Paralympic debut in Paris. For me and my assistant, Connor, it really is a dream come true.”

ParalympicsGB Chef de Mission Penny Briscoe said: “I’m really excited to see the ParalympicsGB team taking shape with today’s addition of David, Claire, Will, Sally and Kayleigh – our boccia squad for Paris 2024. We have a superb depth of talent among our five selected athletes, across individual and team disciplines, and I can’t wait to see them all in action this summer.”

Greg Baker, Boccia UK’s Performance Director, said: “I’m so proud of the five athletes headed to the boccia court in Paris. Since Tokyo, we’ve seen some key players retire and it’s been more difficult to qualify than ever before, so to see new players coming forward, delivering on the world stage and making their Paralympic debut is fantastic for our sport. It is also testament to our staff – the team behind the team – who have worked incredibly hard to support the squad.

“We’ve also got very experienced players in David Smith, Paralympic champion, and Claire Taggart, world champion. Of course, it is the first time that the male and female individual events will be separated at the Games, which is helping to grow the sport globally.

“We’ve had a very productive season with increased competition and international training opportunities to ensure our athletes and staff are as ready as possible for the Games. Our focus now is making sure that the next couple of months offer further great preparation for the squad, giving them the best chance to deliver great performances in Paris.”

A total of around 230 athletes from 19 sports are expected to make up the British team that will compete in Paris, with further names to be announced by ParalympicsGB in the next few weeks.

At Tokyo 2020 ParalympicsGB won medals across a record breaking 18 different sports – the highest number of any nation ever. ParalympicsGB finished second on the medal table with 124 medals overall, including 41 gold, 38 silver and 45 bronze.

Full Boccia squad:

David Smith – BC1 (Athlete Competition Partner: Misel Kranjcec)

Claire Taggart – BC2

Kayleigh Haggo – BC2

Will Arnott – BC3 (Athlete Competition Partner: Connor Wellfare)

Sally Kidson – BC3 (Athlete Competition Partner: Hannah Stewart)

11/06/2024

Summer of Sport Must Not Mask Reality of Trying to be Active for Disabled People

Research from Activity Alliance has revealed disabled people are still being left behind when trying to access sports and physical activities. With a summer of sport on the horizon, including the Paralympic Games and the increased awareness it brings, the national charity is leading calls to make meaningful changes so many more disabled people can enjoy an active lifestyle.

The report from the latest Annual Disability and Activity Survey shows disabled people are twice as likely to be inactive than non-disabled people, a disparity that has remained consistent since the first report was released five years ago.

With the world set to celebrate the sporting achievements of Paralympians in Paris this summer, the latest report highlights a significant ‘activity gap’ remains between disabled people and their non-disabled peers. Only four in 10 disabled people feel they have the opportunity to be active as they want to be, compared to seven in 10 non-disabled people.

The importance of harnessing the legacy of the Paralympic Games is clear, with three quarters (76%) of disabled people expressing a desire to be more active. Respondents in the survey praised the Games as an example of much-needed positive representation of disabled people. However, the extraordinary achievements of the country’s top athletes felt far removed from disabled people’s own lives and experiences.

With over 2,000 disabled and non-disabled adults aged 16+ taking part, the report offers in-depth insight into the day-to-day barriers disabled people face when trying to be active. Finding such as the fact that disabled people want to take part in physical activity in outdoor spaces like parks, countryside, or woodland. However, the reality is that less than half of disabled people say it is easy for them to physically access outdoor spaces.

Sharing their experiences with Activity Alliance, disabled people have made clear the significant barriers that make equal access to sport and physical activity feel far removed from their everyday lives. Reports within the survey include experiences of those who “dare not even put the heating on” let alone invest in their physical and mental health, and multiple reports that disability access remains “one of the forgotten things”.

Key findings include:

43% of disabled people feel they have the chance to be as active as they desire, compared to 69% of non-disabled people. Disabled women are more likely feel the disparity in perceived opportunity compared to disabled men (39% vs 48%)
Disabled people are less than half as likely to ‘see people like them’ playing, working, and volunteering in sport and physical activity.
Disabled people mostly prefer being active in outdoor spaces like parks, countryside, or woodland compared to other locations, but less than half (44%) of disabled people say it’s easy for them to physically access outdoor spaces. This is a significant disparity compared to non-disabled people (78%).
Only 9% of disabled people agree they have the opportunity to become a coach or take on a role in delivering sport or physical activity (compared to 24% of non-disabled people).

Adam Blaze, Chief Executive at Activity Alliance, commented on the latest report:

“We know that the nation will get swept up by Olympic and Paralympic fever this summer, so what better opportunity to use this moment and finally address the stark differences in opportunities disabled people face in sport and physical activity.

“As we cheer on medal winners, I urge people to recognise that three-quarters of disabled people in our country want to be more active. Not everyone wants to be or can be a gold medal winner. Everyone has the right to be active where and however they choose to be, but this is not reality when you look at the latest findings in our survey. There are some fantastic examples across the country that challenge this trend, whether within the local community or national programmes, and these need to be available to everyone who wants to be active.

“There are more than 16 million disabled people in the UK, and the reality is that three in four want to be more active. This is not only an untapped market but shows there are vital improvements needed to break down deep-rooted barriers. A summer celebrating sporting achievements is the perfect time to do this.”

David Clarke OBE, Chief Executive of ParalympicsGB said:

“This Summer, as we celebrate the performance of athletes who have reached the pinnacle of their careers in elite sport, we must also ensure that everybody has the opportunity to take part in sport and physical activity. We know being active has so many benefits from health, mental wellbeing, strengthening friendships to community involvement.

“Disabled people continue to feel that they have less chance to be active compared to their nondisabled counterparts. Whilst we wave the flag for the ParalympicsGB team at the Paralympic Games we must also wave the flag for every disabled person in the UK, removing barriers to participation in sport and physical activity and creating thriving inclusive activity provision across the country.”

The full report is available to view at www.activityalliance.org.uk/how-we-help/research/annual-survey

10/06/2024

Hewett and Reid Equal Grand Slam Doubles Record with Fifth French Open Title

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid seal 20th Grand Slam doubles title
British pair equal overall record of Grand Slam doubles titles won by any partnership
Andy Lapthorne finishes runner-up in quad doubles final

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid equalled the overall record for Grand Slam doubles titles won by any one partnership on Saturday as they clinched their fifth successive French Open wheelchair doubles tittle and 20th Grand Slam title together following a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Japanese second seeds Takuya Miki and Tokito Oda.

With Hewett and Reid playing their Japanese opponents for the third time in four Grand Slam finals, the defending champions secured an immediate break of serve to earn a two-game cushion before winning seven of the last eight points as Reid served out to love and then forced Miki into the error that sealed the opening set after 26 minutes.

Miki’s service game also provided the British pairing with the opening they needed in the second set as they broke the Japanese No.3 to love to make it 4-2. Four games later Hewett then hit a clean cross court forehand winner off the Miki serve on the first of two match point to take he and Reid to 49 career doubles titles as a partnership.

Reflecting on a record of 20 Grand Slam doubles titles that they now share with the USA’s Althea Louise Brough and Margaret Evelyn Du Pont, as well as with Martina Navratilova, Hewett said:

“It wasn’t something I was aware of going into the match, but obviously to hear it afterwards, it’s certainly a proud moment for us as a partnership, and everyone that’s helped us get there. I don’t think we would have thought that we would be sitting here with 20 Grand Slams (when we started). It’s fun to get out there and play with Gordon. The success is just getting more and more enjoyable every single time.”

Looking ahead to the Paris Paralympic Tennis Event, which is also being held at Roland Garros later in the year, Reid said: “it’s exciting to do well here this week, obviously leading into a couple months’ time (at the Paralympics). Now we can enjoy it and look forward a little bit farther. Obviously there are a few more big events coming up on grass we need to deal with first.”

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid (GBR), high fiving — PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 08: Alfie Hewett of Great Britain and Gordon Reid of Great Britain celebrate winning match point against Takuya Miki of Japan and Tokito Oda of Japan after the Men’s Wheelchair Doubles match on Day 14 of the 2024 French Open at Roland Garros on June 08, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Tim Goode/Getty Images)

However, it was not to be for Andy Lapthorne in the quad doubles final as he sought to make it three French Open titles with three different doubles partners. Lapthorne and Guy Sasson were unable to build on 3-1 and 5-3 leads in a first set tie-break, eventually finishing runners-up to Dutch top seeds Sam Schroder and Niels Vink 7-6(9), 6-1.

Hewett, Reid and Lapthorne are among eight British wheelchair players and 26 world top 10 ranked players across men’s, women’s and quad draws that have been announced this week among the entries for the Lexus British Open Roehamtpon, the LTA’s premier annual standalone international wheelchair tennis tournament that is now an integral part of the British summer grass court season.

04/06/2024

Fife Disability Sailing Opportunity

Royal Yachting Association Scotland (Scottish Governing Body for forms of boating such as sailing, windsurfing and powerboating) are putting out a last push for our Try Sailing day for people with disabilities or those who may require some additional support at Loch Ore Meadows in Fife on the 9^th June.

Royal Yachting Association Scotland (RYA Scotland) are hosting this day in conjunction with Fife Sailability. (Please feel free to have a look at their page on Facebook to see the venue and what is available.)

There are still spaces available for anyone who is interested in getting on the water, with the support of RYA Scotland’s volunteer team who will be on hand both ashore and afloat to accompany people out on the boats.

Boats and a hoist which enables access to wheelchair-users to go sailing, will be available and people are welcome to book for a morning, afternoon or both if they wish.

Bookings are free can be made via the link here.