Cameron Hemphill from Ladybank is a second year pupil at Bell Baxter HS in Cupar. Cameron was introduced to Disability Sport Fife (DSF) by NHS Fife physiotherapist Joyce Cummings in 2013 and he has not looked back since.
Initially Cameron swam for an hour with Anna Tizzard at the Wednesday DSF session at the Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre before joining Cupar and District Swimming Club eighteen months later for an additional hour in 2015. DSF secured a classification for Cameron through Scottish Swimming in 2016 and he was then called up for national junior squad training once a month in Stirling.
Cameron travelled to Manchester in December 2016 with the Scottish squad for the British National Para – Swimming Championships. Cameron thoroughly enjoyed the experience and when he returned a meeting was set up with DSF to look at increasing training time. This resulted in a move to INCAS and coach Garrie Roberts for four sessions per week in addition to his single DSF session with Anna.
Like every novice swimmer who wants to be a performance swimmer Cameron made steady progress from late 2013 through to early 2016. Cameron’s 25 metres backstroke dropped from 42.07 to 28.87. His 25 metres freestyle time was 37.91 when he started out but at the DSF Championships in March 2016 he had a PB for 50 metres of 58.91. Because Cameron has a hemiplegia and has a weakness in an arm and leg on one side of his body he has always looked upon breaststroke as his third stroke. In early 2016 he had a PB for 50 metres breaststroke of 1.24.94.
Since joining INCAS and being able to access additional water time Cameron’s times have tumbled. At the recent Scottish Disability Sport Performance Gala Cameron recorded PBs for 100m backstroke 2:12.28; 100m breaststroke 2:32.52; 100m freestyle 1:50.78; 50m freestyle 48.3. These were improvements by 17 seconds, 32 seconds and 15 seconds for his 100 metres swims. At the Fife Championships last Friday Cameron swam 50 metres freestyle in 44.93:50 metres backstroke in 1:00.63; 50 metres breaststroke in 1:04.90; all three swims were PBs.
Cameron also attends the DSF Monday badminton session in Glenrothes and enjoys mountain biking. Cameron is a scout and is interested in all things Science and Technology. Cameron’s long-term goal is to represent Scotland and Great Britain at many major Para-Swimming Championships.
Cameron is an exceptionally pleasant young man and a very popular member of DSF with coaches and fellow athletes. Cameron works hard and early signs are that his more challenging training regime will pay dividends. As with so many successful junior sports participants Cameron has an amazing family support team behind him.
Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife