Category: A News

Butterfield and Lyle selected for ParalympicsGB

Many congratulations to Jo Butterfield and Maria Lyle who have been selected to represent ParalympicsGB in athletics at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games taking place in September.

World champion thrower Jo (F51 Club) and sprinter Maria (100m and 200m) are included along with thirteen world medallists in the announcement made today by the British Paralympic Association, in the first wave of track and field selections. This will be a first Paralympic Games for both athletes, who performed so well at the IPC Europeans in Italy last week where Maria returned with three gold medals and Jo one gold medal as well as a new world record.

With 76 days to go, 13 sports have made their announcements. A further announcement regarding track and field athletes will be made in late July.

For a full report visit the link below:

http://rio.paralympics.org.uk//news/article/thirteen-world-medallists-star-as-first-track-and-field-athletes-to-be-sele

Gordon Reid Selected for ParalympicsGB

Ten wheelchair tennis players including Scotland’s 2016 Australian Open champion, Gordon Reid, have been selected for ParalympicsGB, to compete at the Paralympic Games in Rio from 7 – 18 September 2016.
Reid said: “I’m very proud to have been named in the ParalympicsGB team for my third games. Along with my team up in Scotland I have been putting in a lot of hard work since London 2012 and this selection gives me the perfect opportunity to show the fruits of that hard work on the world stage. It’s a special feeling to represent Great Britain and I’ll continue to do everything I can to get myself in the best shape possible to succeed in Rio.”
For a full report please visit:
http://rio.paralympics.org.uk//news/article/wheelchair-tennis-players-aiming-to-serve-up-paralympic-success-in-rio

Dawson-Farrell Sponsored to Support Gold Coast 2018 Journey

Scottish Disability Sport Academy Athlete Meggan Dawson-Farrell has secured sponsorship via Team Scotland partner CGI, in order to support her journey to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. This financial support will prove vital in order for her to access appropriate competition, both in the UK and internationally, as she aims to qualify and prepare for the event.
Dawson-Farrell is a wheelchair racer, who competes in the T54 classification, represented Team Scotland at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014 where she reached the final of the combined T53/54 1500m.
For a full report please visit the Commonwealth Games Scotland website via the link below:
http://www.cgcs.org.uk/news/latest-news/2016/cgi-back-meggan-on-journey-to-gold-coast-2018/

Alison Patrick Retains European Title

Alison Patrick from Dunfermline retained the PT5 European Paratriathlon title at the ETU Paratriathlon European Championships in Lisbon. Alison is visually impaired and runs, swims and tandem cycles with support from guide Hazel Smith from Edinburgh. Alison is one of the world’s leading paratriathletes and is challenging for a place in the GB team for the Paralympic Games in Rio. Paratriathletes swim 750 metres, cycle 20kms and run 5 kms. Congratulations to Alison.
British Triathlon paratriathletes won a total of four gold medals at the European Championships and sent out a strong message to other world nations in the year when paratriathlon will feature on the Rio Paralympic Games programme for the first time. Lisbon was a hugely important race for Team GB paratriathletes in their quest for Rio qualification. The Lisbon event provides fifty per cent more ranking points than any other ITU world paratriathlon Event. Team GB produced seven podium finishes in Portugal and vital Rio qualification points.
Team GB has two races remaining before the qualification window closes for Rio, and is very focussed on events at Strathclyde Park on June 4th and Besancon later in June. GB paratriathlete Stefan Hoggan from Auchtermuchty in Fife will compete at Strathclyde Park with a number of other British paratriathletes challenging for ranking points and Team GB places. Having competed in Lisbon late in May, Alison will not be on the start line at Strathclyde Park.
Richard Brickley MBE
President Disability Sport Fife