Category: A News

Junior WBB Fun and Success at Regional Champs in Stirling

Junior Wheelchair BasketballJunior players from across Scotland gathered for the inaugural Wheelchair Basketball ‘Regional Junior Championships’, at the Peak in Stirling.  The Championships form an important step in the talent pathway for young players, with many progressing onto Scotland honours.

The competition was split into two age groups –  U13s, playing 3v3 on 8ft sized hoops, and the U19s playing 5v5 on 10ft sized hoops.  Several of the games were so tightly fought they went to double overtime.

Tina Gordon, wheelchair basketball development officer for basketballscotland commented: “This is such a fantastic day for the development of junior wheelchair basketball.  The quality of play and camaraderie between players, has certainly made for a fun and exciting atmosphere.”

The event was sponsored by RGK Wheelchairs and supported by Scottish Disability Sport, Active Stirling, the Peak Sports Village, Stirling Knights, Stirling Sainsbury’s and The Lord’s Taverners.  RGK Wheelchairs also provided the award for the Most Valuable Player, which was awarded to Morwenna Hastings, representing Highlands.

Final placings:

U13s

  1. East
  2. Tayside & Fife
  3. West
  4. Grampian and Central

U19s

  1. West
  2. East
  3. Tayside & Fife
  4. Grampian and Highlands
  5. Central

SDS National Performance Swimming Championships

University of Stirling

June 2016

National Performance49 swimmers from across Scotland travelled to Stirling University pool to compete at the SDS National long Course Performance Championships on Sunday 12th June.

The event was a huge success hosting a record total of 168 swims, of which 54 swimmers achieved Personal Bests, and an astonishing 75 new times were recorded (for long course distance). Also 15 swimmers from across the country underwent a 2 day Classification process whereby they were to be classified for the first time, or reviewed. Feedback from swimmers suggested the process to be efficient and professional.

Scottish Records

Rosie Sheridan, a 12 year old swimmer from Central who underwent the Classification process for the first time this weekend, also achieved a new Scottish Record in the SB6 50m breaststroke with a time of 1:13.44.

Thanks to Paul Noble announcing the event was seamless with OBE Jim Anderson presenting medals throughout, and launching his new book ‘Jim the Swim’.

A well appreciative thanks goes out to;

  • all the officials, timekeepers and announcer
  • Paul Wilson at Scottish Swimming
  • SDS Regional Development Managers
  • Stirling University pool for supporting the event and making the day a huge success

For more information on the event please contact Cheryl Willet – SDS Regional Development Manager (Central) cheryl.willet@scottishdisabilitysport.com / Phone: 07577 830360

Appeal for Tandems Pilots for Visually Impaired Riders

Andy and Fraser 4Scottish Cycling and Glasgow life are working in partnership to develop track cycling for people with a disability.  One of the key focusses going forward is the recruitment of pilot cyclists to support visually impaired riders on a tandem.

If you are a cyclist who is interested in getting involved in this programme please follow the link below to an article in the Evening Times. The article tells the story of Fraser Kane, who transferred to the sport (from swimming) after being inspired by Neil Fachie and Craig McLean, who won double Gold, at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

http://m.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/14534256.Appeal_launched_for_cyclists_to_pilot_tandems_for_visually_impaired_riders/?ref=twtrec

For more information please contact Gordon Watson on gordon.watson@glasgowlife.org.uk

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

Jo Butterfield
Jo Butterfield

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/

Scotland Squad Announced for World Qualifier

The Scottish squad to compete in the 2016 IFCPF World Championships Qualification Tournament in Vejen, Denmark has been announced. The Championships will commence on Friday 29th July with the Opening Ceremony and initial matches and will run until Saturday 6th August.

A total of 13 teams from across the world will be competing in Vejen to determine which teams fill the remaining eight slots for the 2017 IFCPF World Championships in Argentina. Scotland have been drawn in Group A and will play Spain in their opening match on Saturday 30th July followed by Australia on Monday 1st August.

The Scotland squad for Denmark includes Martin Hickman and Jonathan Paterson, who will be competing for ParalympicsGB at the Summer Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in September.

Scotland squad for the 2016 IFCPF World Championships Qualification Tournament:

Barry Halloran

Blair Glynn

Martin Hickman

Lewis McIntyre

Sean Stewart

Ian Paton

Mark Robertson

Jamie Mitchell

Kyle Hannin

Jonathan Paterson

Cameron Pollock

Chris Tucker

Blair McGregor

Kieran Martin

First Ever Wimbledon Wheelchair Tennis Singles Event

Wimbledon will host its first ever wheelchair tennis singles competition this week and Scotland World number 3 player, Gordon Reid, will be looking to reach his third Grand Slam singles final of the year.  The recently selected ParalympicsGB athlete said,

“When you look at the field and who’s here, it’s pretty much the top eight players in the world in both events. There’s no such thing as an easy match,” said Reid. “For me, I’m playing Nico, who I played first round at Roland Garros. I have had a pretty good record against him recently. But nothing’s guaranteed. As our first time playing singles on grass, it’s going to be, I think, who adapts quickest, who comes out fast.”

For a full report please see the link below

http://www.tennisfoundation.org.uk/wimbledon-wheelchair-tennis-singles-events/

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/