Scottish Disability Sport is delighted to continue to provide an overview of the sports that Scottish Para athletes will compete in as members of Team Scotland at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. Today we are highlighting the sport of Para-Athletics and Sammi Kinghorn, Maria Lyle and Amy Carr.
Athletics is a sport that provides an exciting range of opportunities for disabled people. It provides a mixture of events and sports classes for everyone to enjoy, develop and learn new skills, whether participating, volunteering or coaching. Often considered the showcase of the Paralympic Games, people are drawn to athletics to witness the speed of the sprinter, the strength of the thrower and the endurance of the distance athlete.
Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia will have several para athletics events included and Scotland will have three young athletes to look out for.
Samantha Kinghorn (T53)
Paralympian and World double gold medallist will make her second Games appearance after she featured in the 1500m at the Glasgow 2014 Games. This time she will be hoping to earn a place on the podium as she will compete in both the 1500m and the marathon. At the age of 21 Sammi has a considerable performance record and she is one of the most recognisable para athletes in British sport.
Key achievements
- Gold medal in both the T53 100m and 200m at the IPC World Championships in 2017
- Bronze medal in the T53 400m at the IPC World Championships in 2017
- Triple gold in the 100mm, 400m and 00m at the IPC European Championships in 2914
- Representing Team Scotland at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
Samantha’s athlete profile can be viewed here.
Maria Lyle (T35)
At the age of 18 Maria has already had a distinguished career in para athletics, with European, World and Paralympic medals to her name. This will be her Commonwealth Games debut and she will be hoping to add a Team Scotland medal to her collection as she competes in the T35 100m.
Key achievements
- Gold in the 4 x 100m relay at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio
- Double bronze in the 100m and 200m at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio
- Gold in the 4 x 100m relay at the 2017 IPC World Championships
- Double silver in the 100m and 200m at the 2017 IPC World Championships
- Double gold in the 100m and 200m at the IPC European Championships
Maria’s athlete profile can be viewed here.
Amy Carr (T37)
This will be Amy’s debut in a major international Games and is a relative new-comer to high performance para athletics. However, the 18 year old has made her mark on international scene in both the 2017 IPC World Junior Championships and the 2015 CPISRA World Games when several gold, silver and bronze medals in sprint and long jump events. She will be looking to add her first major title in the T38 100m and Long Jump.
Key achievements
- Double gold in the 200m and Long Jump at the 2017 IPC World Junior Championships
- Double silver in the 100m and long jump at the 2015 CPISRA World Games
For a schedule of para athletics events please follow the link below:
https://www.gc2018.com/sport/athletics
Amy’s athlete profile can be viewed here.
Scottish Disability Sport has produced a factsheet on para athletics for people with a disability which can be downloaded here.
And a video fact file can be viewed here:
Tomorrow
The next 2018 Commonwealth Games Para sport we will feature will be Para Cycling.  Aileen McGlynn, Neil Fachie and Louise Haston (plot) will make their second Commonwealth Games appearance after all three represented Team Scotland at Glasgow 2014. Neil Fachie will be piloted by English rider, Mark Rotherham. Come back tomorrow to find out more.