basketballscotland is delighted to announce that Scottish duo Robyn Love and George Bates have been named in this year’s British Wheelchair Basketball Teams for the upcoming European Championships in Tenerife.

Following a successful Rio 2016 Paralympic campaign, Love will be hoping for yet more success this summer as she joins the Senior Women team who recently won the Continental Clash.

Dual-national George Bates’ call-up to the Men’s European Championships side will mark Bates’ senior debut after successfully representing GB and Scotland at U23 level in the past.

Both squads will travel to Tenerife where the European Championships get underway on the 21st June. Robyn Love’s side will face a tough opener against Germany while Bates’ Men’s side will take on Sweden in their opening fixture.

We will be keeping a close eye on all the action and would like to wish Robyn and George the best of luck at this year’s Championships.

The 2017 Scottish Disability Sport Junior Athletic Championship – run once again in partnership with Scottish Athletics – was hosted once more by Grangemouth Stadium. Over 350 athletes from all over Scotland were welcomed from schools and clubs covering the length and breadth of Scotland.

One of Scotland’s leading athletes Sammi Kinghorn  – whose selection for London 2017 World Games, along with fellow Scots Maria Lyle, Stef Reid and Jo Butterfield, was announced during the event – was on hand to lend her experience and expertise to the many youngsters aiming to emulate her achievements. Sammi competed alongside Sean Frame as senior guests at this event and their presence ensured the younger athletes in the wheelchairs all performed considerably faster than they had previously at this event. Luke Deighan (Red Star) secured no less than four Championship Best Performances (CBPs) in the 100m, 200m, 800m and sharing the 400m CBP with Kyle Brotherton (Red Star) – who added the 1500m CBP – to his own collection of achievements.

CBPs were tumbling all around with Red Star’s Nathan Fleetwood enhancing his growing reputation with two record breaking performances from the T20 athlete in the 100m and 200m.

Highlands Abbie McNally and Eve Grant were each celebrating their own CBPs for athletes with a physical disability in the 100m, 200m (both Abbie) and the 400m (Eve). Abbie added the Long Jump CBP to her impressive haul with a distance of 3.56m.

It was fantastic to see entries from our partners at Dwarf Sports Association Scotland which saw Finlay and Skye Davidson, Andrew Davies and Merryn Binnie collect a total of 10 medals including an amazing three golds for Skye.

It is imperative that the opportunities for our athletes to follow in the prestigious journeys of elite Scottish athletes before them, such as Sammi, remain plentiful and varied therefore it remains paramount that local, branch and regional competitive calendars are enhanced and supported by schools, clubs and athletes in the area to ensure every athlete has access to more competitive experiences.

Scottish Disability Sport and scottishathletics would like to thank all involved in making the day a success. Particular mention should go to the volunteer officials from scottishathletics and the students from West Lothian College, with whom we continue to have an excellent relationship.

SDS look forward to welcoming our senior athletes to the National Senior Athletics Championships in Grangemouth in September.

Photo © Laurence Bisset

SDS is disappointed to announce that the Scottish FA has taken the decision to withdraw the Scottish Cerebral Palsy Football Squad from the 2017 International Federation for Cerebral Palsy Football (IFCPF) World Championships which are due to be held in Argentina this September. In addition, all planned training camps have been cancelled with immediate effect.

The decision has been taken by the Scottish FA following a recent change to the IFCPF player eligibility policy which now allows any player possessing a UK passport to represent any of the UK home nations. The Scottish FA also feels very strongly that this position also threatens Scotland’s position as an independent football nation. SDS and the Scottish FA had jointly communicated their concerns relating to this change in policy, and the implications for Scotland, to the IFCPF on numerous occasions but the decision to move to a passport based policy was taken regardless.

Stewart Regan, Scottish FA Chief Executive said: “It is extremely regrettable that despite our appeals the IFCPF has chosen to enforce this rule change, which we believe would have a detrimental effect on Scotland’s status as an independent football nation.

“We have taken every possible action in an attempt to allow the team to compete but have determined that the new rule leaves us with no option other than to withdraw from all IFCPF competitions, including the World Championships, with immediate effect.”

“Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the players who were set to represent their country on the world stage later this year. This is a disappointing outcome to what has been a successful journey for the Scotland CP team, of whom the entire country can be proud.”

SDS has always enjoyed an extremely positive and productive working partnership with the Scottish FA built over many years of joint endeavour and whilst we can appreciate their thinking in this instance, we must think of the players and coaches who will ultimately be the ones who suffer in this situation. As a result, SDS is currently working with the coaches and support staff of the Scottish Cerebral Palsy squad to ensure that a programme of training and support is maintained for the players for the foreseeable future. This is a difficult and frustrating situation for the players and staff but SDS will do whatever it can to support, taking into account limited resources.

Scotland has a proud history of involvement in Cerebral Palsy Football and has played a significant role in the growth of the sport. Scotland hosted the first Cerebral Palsy international match in Edinburgh in 1978, the first Regional Championship in Glasgow in 1985, the European Championships in Glasgow in 2010, and competed in the inaugural under-19 World Championships in Nottingham 2015. The Scotland Cerebral Palsy National Team has regularly competed in IFCPF organised competitions and are currently ranked 9^th in the world.

It has been a very busy first half of 2017 for the SDS Events Calendar. It started with a brand new event for SDS, with the inaugural SDS Disability Badminton Championships, run in partnership with Lothian Disability Badminton Club, which saw excellent entry numbers and a high standard of play throughout.

February saw the National Carpet Bowls Championships held, once again, in Dundee. An excellent days bowling saw Team Highland win their first trophy in almost two decades. Our thanks to Dundee City Disability Sport and Leisure & Culture Dundee for their continued commitment to the event. The competition pathways in bowls have been strengthened by the continuation of the SDS National Indoor Singles Championships, in partnership with SIBA and sponsored by Co-op Funeralcare.

The competition opportunities for boccia have strengthened considerably with a comprehensive calendar of local and regional events in place now which serves to ensure a stronger representation at the national events. SDS are to host a three-day Scottish Open event at Inverclyde in October. This event will feature competitors from all over the world competing in individuals, pairs and teams format and is the first of its kind in Scotland.

Our partnerships with Scottish Athletics and the Scottish Football Association continue to flourish with significant numbers attending the national competitions.

SDS were grateful to everyone involved in securing a replacement venue in Inverness for the National Senior Swim Championships at very short notice. It was an excellent occasion for all who competed and West of Scotland retained the Kintore Trophy despite admirable efforts from Tayside and the hosts Highland who finished second and third respectively. The event for swimmers with a physical/ sensory impairment was held earlier in the month at Grangemouth where West of Scotland were again successful in the overall team trophy. Some amazing performances were seen that day, not least Fife’s Oliver Carter becoming the first swimmer with a physical disability to swim under 1 minute for the 100m Freestyle at this event.

After a two-year hiatus at Badaguish, SDS return to the all-new Inverclyde Centre for the 2017 edition of its Summer Camp on 5-7 July.

 

There is much to look forward to in the remainder of 2017 and SDS thanks all participants, volunteers, officials and sponsors for their considerable input to the calendar so far.

Scottish swimmers looking to progress in the para swimming pathway congregated at Aberdeen Aquatics Centre to compete in the SDS/SS National Performance Championships. Thirty nine swimmers from across the length and breadth of Scotland competed in their classification groups in a multi classification format to achieve personal bests and break records with a view to being selected for the Scottish Swimming National Squad Programme.

This event is being targeted at swimmers of regional development squad level and above who are swimming at least twice a week from all areas of Scotland.  As well as providing swimmers with another competition in the calendar year it will aim to achieve the following:

• Offer a wider range of events to swimmers;
• Give swimmers experience and educate them in the minus one rule and the British Disability Points Scoring System;
• Develop swimmers’ competition etiquette.

Results will also be used to select swimmers for the Scottish Swimming National Development Squads for swimmers with physical, sensory and learning disabilities.

The championships are open to SDS Regional development squad swimmers identified by SDS Regional Managers and Scottish Swimming as having potential to progress through the swimmer pathway. This includes swimmers identified for classification and those who currently hold recognised classifications.

S1-S10: British Swimming (BS) or International Paralympic Committee (IPC)

S11-S13: British Blind Sport (BBS) or International Blind Sport Association (IBSA)

S14: UK Sports Association (UKSA) or International Association of Sports (INAS-FID)

S15: UK Deaf Sport (UKDS) or International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD)

For the first time ever the event was integrated with a mainstream district meet organised by Dyce ASC. This was deemed to be a great success with both mainstream and para swimmers benefitting from the extended programme. A total of 132 swims took place in the above classification groups over the course of the day.

Para swimmers did not disappoint, in the effort to be the best they can be. The standard of swimming was high and swimmers pushed each other with some very close finishes. An outstandingly total of 75 personal bests were achieved throughout all of the classes.

And to top it off a new record was set by Lothian swimmer Neil Ferguson – S7 100m Butterfly 1:48.27.

For a full list of results please click here.

Scottish Disability Sport and Scottish Swimming are always welcome new and existing swimmers so if you or anyone else you know would like to get involved in disability swimming please telephone SDS on 0131 317 1130, alternatively you can email admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com.

 

The sport of adaptive skiing has advanced dramatically in recent years, really opening up this exciting and incredibly liberating pursuit to be fully enjoyed by people with physical disabilities or visual impairments. The result – whether it’s based on a more traditional skiing setup involving standing bi-skis, duals-skis or monoski, a snowboard, or a seated ski bike – is typically a fast and furious thrill ride over some form of dramatic, snow-packed terrain. What’s not to love?

The advancement of adaptive skiing as a leading disability sport really began in Europe in the wake of WWII, when the importance and value of participation in sports activities was more fully realised.

Returning soldiers who’d been injured in conflict were quick to sign up for newly available programmes, with the initial focus being on recently developed technologies and equipment aimed primarily at 3-track adaptive skiing (a single ski and two supporting arm crutches or ‘outriggers’) for amputees. From here, things quickly snowballed – pun fully intended – and in 1967 a group of Vietnam veterans founded Disabled Sports USA from what had originally been the National Amputee Skiers Association.

From early prototype outriggers through to the rapid development in the mid-1980s of advanced adaptive ski setups like the mono-ski and bi-ski, the technology supported an ever-expanding network of community-based programmes and competitions that ultimately became recognised as a full Paralympic category in 1992. Today, a number of the most famous resorts for adaptive skiing experiences are located around the USA, in a variety of suitably epic locations such as Whistler Blackcomb, Colorado’s Winter Park, and the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming.

Over here in the UK, the British Parasnowsport Team is the British national Para-alpine skiing and Para-snowboard team – it’s the racing arm of Disability Snowsport UK (DSUK), recognised as the UK National Governing Body for disabled snowsports by the British Paralympic Association (BPA) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). As well as providing the Elite and Development Teams of athletes who train and compete on our nation’s behalf at the Paralympic Games, DSUK also make it their ongoing mission to ensure anyone with a disability, may it be learning, sensory or physical, can ski or snowboard alongside other people.

For those looking to try out the sport a little closer to home, that means there are always plenty of opportunities right on our doorstep. Whether it’s two-track, three-track or four-track skiing (referring to the number of points of contact with the snow), mono-skiing, bi-skiing, snowboarding or guide-led runs for skiers with visual impairments, there’s now a phenomenal range of activity on offer in Scotland for beginners and more experienced downhillers alike. Check out the online guide and glossary at the Snowsport Scotland website, or the guide to disability snowsports equipment at Ski Club Great Britain, for more information on the different types of adaptive skiing setups available.

Year-round adaptive skiing opportunities are always on offer at Snow Factor, the indoor slope complex at Soar Intu Braehead just outside Glasgow city centre. Disability Snowsport UK offer a range of lessons at the venue, starting from the DSUK office opposite the main Snow Factor reception desk. Skiers can phone 08455219338 or email lessons@disabilitysnowsport.org.uk for booking places, and all necessary equipment will be available either for hire or as part of the included lesson plan when you arrive (there’s also a hoist available if required for seated skiers, with participants just asked to provide their own Oxford sling). For those in the highlands, there’s a similar arrangement on offer during the winter months at the Cairngorm Mountain Ski School in the heart of stunning Inverness-shire.

And, if you’re interested in adaptive skiing opportunities further afield, this handy resource (developed by Vouchercloud in collaboration with the Back Up trust) offers a rundown of the various location, innovations and not-for-profit organisations supporting ongoing development of the sport in the USA.

Four Scottish Para athletes will be heading to London in July to compete at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships at the London Stadium in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park from 14-23 July.

The 49 strong squad was announced by British Athletics this week, including 21 medallists from the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. The names of the four Scots selected are Jo Butterfield, Maria Lyle, Stef Reid and Sammi Kinghorn.
Jo, Maria and Stef were all medal winners at the Rio Paralympic Games last summer and Sammi recently set a 28.67 seconds 200m T53 World Record at Mesa, Arizona, knocking a remarkable 0.26 seconds off the record set by US racer Jessica Galli five years ago.

Unfortunately, double Rio gold medallist Libby Clegg‘s hopes of competing this summer were ended when she sustained a calf injury earlier this week and will not recover in time for July.

There is no marathon event at the World Para Athletic Championships but Fife’s Derek Rae raced at the IPC World Marathon Cup at the London Marathon in April and won bronze medal in his class.

The four Scots face a busy schedule in London with the quartet entered for no fewer than 10 events between them.
Jo Butterfield (Phil Peat/Shona Malcolm) will compete in the F51 club throw and discus, Maria Lyle (Ryan Freckleton) in the T35 100m, 200m and relay, Stef Reid (Aston Moore) goes in the T44 Long Jump whilst Sammi Kinghorn (Ian Mirfin) will race over T53 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m.

British Athletics Team for the World Para Athletics Championships London 2017 taking place between 14-23 July 2017:

Kare Adenegan (Job King) – T34 100m, 400m and 800m
Hollie Arnold (David Parker) – F46 Javelin
Graeme Ballard (Trevor Painter) – T36 100m and 200m
Martina Barber (Paddy O’Shea) – T20 Long Jump
Paul Blake (Rob Ellchuk) – T36 100m, 200m and 400m
Dan Bramall (Peter Wyman) – T33 100m
Olivia Breen (Aston Moore) – T38 Long Jump, 100m and 4x100m relay
Jonathan Broom-Edwards (Paul Harrison) – T44 High Jump
Mickey Bushell (Jenny Archer) – T53 100m
Jo Butterfield (Phil Peat / Shona Malcolm) – F51 Club Throw and Discus
Richard Chiassaro (Jenni Banks) – T54 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m
Hannah Cockroft (Jenni Banks) – T34 100m, 400m and 800m
Kadeena Cox (Brian Scobie) – T38 100m, 200m, 400m and 4x100m relay
Aled Davies (Ryan Spencer-Jones) – F42 Shot Put and Discus
Kyron Duke (Anthony Hughes) – F41 Shot Put
Sabrina Fortune (Antony Hughes / Ian Robinson) – F20 Shot Put
Toby Gold (Jenni Banks) – T33 100m
Dan Greaves (John Godina) – F44 Discus
Kylie Grimes (Phil Peat) – F51 Club Throw
Sophie Hahn (Joe McDonnell) – T38 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay
James Hamilton (Mark Kirk) – T20 800m and 1500m
David Henson (Roger Keller) – T42 100m and 200m
Georgie Hermitage (Paul McGregor) – T37 100m, 400m and 4x100m relay
Jordan Howe (Christian Malcolm) – T35 100m
Abbie Hunnisett (Anthony Hughes / Mark Hunnisett) – F32 Club Throw
Jade Jones (Ian Thompson / Tanni Grey-Thompson) – T54 800m, 1500m and 5000m
Rhys Jones (Christian Malcolm) – T37 100m
Sophie Kamlish (Rob Ellchuk) – T44 100m
Sammi Kinghorn (Ian Mirfin) – T53 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m
Maria Lyle (Ryan Freckleton) – T35 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay
Nathan Maguire (Ste Hoskins) – T54 200m, 400m and 800m
Polly Maton (Colin Baross) – T47 100m and Long Jump
Stephen Miller (Ros Miller) – F32 Club Throw
Stephen Morris (James Thie) – T20 800m, 1500m and 5000m
Jonnie Peacock (Dan Pfaff / Mike Khmel) – T44 100m
Gemma Prescott (Mike Wood) – F32 Club Throw
Stefanie Reid (Aston Moore) – T44 Long Jump
Ben Rowlings (Job King) – T34 400m and 800m
Sam Ruddock (Jim Edwards) – F35 Shot Put
Zac Shaw (Joe McDonnell) – T12 100m and 200m
Luke Sinnott (Roger Keller) – T42 Long Jump
Zak Skinner (David Hull) – T13 100m and Long Jump
Andrew Small (Rick Hoskins) – T33 100m
Laura Sugar (Femi Akinsanya) – T44 100m and 200m
Carly Tait (Jenni Banks) – T34 100m, 400m and 800m
Kieran Tscherniawsky (Jim Edwards) – F33 Shot Put
Isaac Towers (Peter Wyman) – T34 400m and 800m
Vanessa Wallace (Alison O’Riordan) – F34 Shot Put
Richard Whitehead (Keith Antoine) – T42 100m and 200m

Scottish Disability Sport Young Persons Sport Panel is now in its second year.

The panel is made up of 12 young people representing 9 of the 13 SDS member branches. The panel have had 6 meetings to date including media training with Commonwealth Games Scotland and have attended many SDS National Events to volunteer.

Recently, the panel have joined up with the sportscotland young persons sport panel where the group have discussed various inclusion topics, participated in Disability Inclusion Training and decided some future projects as a panel.

The panel members are: Alan Gray, Hope Gordon, Colette Martin, Lewis McConnell, Stefan Hoggan, Mitchell Graham, Caitlyn Ross, Callum Sloan, Gemma Lumsdaine, Shelby Watson, Ross Foley, and Danielle Joyce.