Tag: scotland

29/08/2024

Paris 2024 Paralympics: Day 1 Review

Day one in Paris did not disappoint.

The Scots were in action in Para swimming, boccia, wheelchair basketball, Para cycling (track), Para table tennis and Para archery.

First up was Toni Shaw who swam a great heat to secure her spot in the final of the women’s 400m freestyle S9 with a time of 4:53.38. It was a highly competitive race where the swimmer from Aberdeen found herself in a five-way battle for bronze.

Turning seventh at the 250m mark, Toni put in one of the fastest last 50m splits in the field, touching home with a time of 4:48.44 for fifth place. Despite being off the medals, her performance was faster than her bronze medal winning swim at last year’s World Championships.

Robyn Love and Jodie Waite got their Paralympic campaign off to a terrific start with a convincing win in the women’s wheelchair basketball Preliminary Round against Spain, winning 69-34.

Robyn – who’s competing at her third Paralympic Games in Paris – said: “In these group stages, you can’t get too high or too low but I’m so proud of the squad and how we performed”.

Compared to the last Paralympics where no spectators were allowed, Paris is proving to be quite special for Robyn, with her young daughter in the crowd.

“She’s like a little good luck charm and emotional support baby for the squad and she’s definitely part of the team. The first thing I did when I came out was look for her. Whenever I see her face it makes me relaxed because I know that whatever I do, she doesn’t care about the result she’s here to watch her mummies and see her mummies and I went and had a little cuddle with her afterwards”, said Robyn.

Winning ways continued in the boccia with Patrick Wilson (BC3) and Stephen McGuire (BC4 v Abdul Razzaq Abdul Rahman, MAS) taking their opening pool matches in the individual events, 5-3 and 8-0 respectively.

Following his win against fellow ParalympicsGB teammate, William Arnott, Patrick said: “It was a difficult match but I got through it. It was important to get through it. It’s always a bit awkward to play against a teammate but we did it in the right way. I’m excited to get out there and try to get my second win. I’ve got to be good to do that.”

It wasn’t to be for Kayleigh Haggo though, who suffered a defeat to the number three seed Soyeong Jeong (KOR). She lost 3-1 in the women’s individual BC2.

In the men’s B 4000m individual Pursuit (track cycling), Neil Fachie and pilot Matthew Rotherham finished in 13th, clocking a time of 5:33.212 in the qualification round. They’ll next be in action on Sunday 1st, in the men’s B 1000m Time Trial qualification.

Meanwhile in the Para table tennis, debutant Martin Perry coupled with Will Bayley in the men’s doubles MD14, advance to the next round after a 3-0 win over Germany’s Thomas Rau and Bjoern Schnake.

Martin valued having such an experienced partner to play alongside, saying after the match: “To have Will next to me, filling me with that confidence and knowing that he believes in me, meant that after that I felt like I was standing ten feet tall. We fought for every ball and we played some good stuff. To finally get a match at the Paralympic Games means so much to me.”

The final Scot in action on day one was Nathan Macqueen in the men’s Individual Compound Open. Nathan put in a strong performance to finish sixth with a season’s best score of 696, to take him though to tomorrow’s (30th) round of 16 where he will face Slovakia’s Martin Doric.

Looking ahead to tomorrow he said: “It’s the biggest crowd that any of us have shot in front of. It’s going to be pretty special. And to have the family out there is going to be pretty cool. I’m just going to go and do my best.”

The Paris 2024 Paralympics runs from the 28th August – 8th September. You can follow all the action and find out how the 21 Scottish Para athletes get on by following Scottish Disability Sport on Facebook, X and Instagram, as well as on the SDS website. You can catch all the action on Channel 4. More information here.

27/08/2024

Faye Rogers is Ready to Take on Paris

“Going to the Paralympic Games is just insane and I am so excited.” – Faye Rogers is ready for her Paralympic Games debut at Paris 2024.

By William Moncrieff

The 21-year-old Para swimmer – who studies at the University of Aberdeen – will be competing in the women’s 100m Butterfly S10, 100m freestyle S10, 400m freestyle S10 and the 200m individual medley SM10 in Paris.

Faye first found out that she was going to become a Paralympian after the Para swimming trials in April. She was nervous immediately after as she felt unwell and wasn’t completely happy with her performance. However, she got selected and was over the moon to get the news.

“It was so exciting to get that confirmation through,” said Faye.

“I just want to go and be my best, make all of that hard work pay off.”

Faye took up Para swimming after a serious car crash left her with life changing injuries. When looking back over the journey she has been on, Faye is incredibly proud with how she reacted.

“I am quite proud of myself for sticking with it and getting to this point”, said Faye, who has been swimming since aged nine.

She continued to say: “As much as my journey in swimming hasn’t looked as I expected it to look as a child, I am still just really proud of myself where I’ve got to.”

“I didn’t dare to dream about the Paralympics until a year and a half ago,” said Faye.

“Following my accident and impairment I didn’t know whether I would be good enough.” Faye made the Paralympics a goal of hers after trials for the World Championships in 2023. It was here that she realised her potential in the sport and consequently, she gave herself a pep talk: “I’ve got a year to work and get myself selected.”

Adding: “That was the point that it became a goal rather than a dream.”

Just a day out from the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympics, Faye has had time to reflect on her journey as an athlete.

“I think having that goal and having that to aim for and work for has been pretty much the only thing that has got me through the last three years. Having a serious accident and being told that you aren’t going to be able to do something that you have done all your life, something you love, is really hard.”

She continued to say, “I think having in the back of my mind there is the Paralympics and I can achieve everything that I wanted to achieve was sort of life changing.”

All of the best of luck in Paris, Faye!

Make sure to follow the action live on Channel 4 and keep up-to-date by following SDS on Facebook, X and Instagram. More information and the competition schedule is available on the SDS website.

23/08/2024

Paralympian Martin Perry Credits SDS Summer Camp for Introducing Him to Table Tennis

By William Moncrieff, Communications Apprentice

“To say that I am a Paralympian it means so much to me that I genuinely struggle putting it into words.” – Martin Perry’s Paralympic dream has come true.

Martin Perry is a 30-year-old Para table tennis player who’s just days away from competing at his debut Paralympics Games, representing ParalympicsGB.

Martin was born with Congenital Limb Loss and Deformity, resulting in him having no hands and one leg – this means that he competes in Para table tennis as a class 6 singles player and a class 14 doubles player.

Martin was first introduced to table tennis at Scottish Disability Sport’s Summer Camp. “I hadn’t even encountered the sport before [SDS summer camp]. We strapped the bat to my right forearm with velcro and a tea towel and I just loved it.”

Today, Martin plays with a specially made bat which has a grip that can be molded onto his arm.

Martin still can’t quite believe that he is now a Paralympian and will shortly be representing ParalympicsGB in Paris. “It’s hard to put into words. I picked up the bat for the first time when I was 15, so that’s literally half my life now.”

“To say that I am a Paralympian it means so much to me that I genuinely struggle putting it into words.”

“I remember the ball bouncing past my opponent and hitting the floor, I looked at my coach and said ‘I’m in’. I’m finally so proud to call myself a Paralympian”, said Martin.

With the Paralympic Games being held in Paris, it provides an amazing opportunity for athletes representing ParalympicsGB to compete in front of their family and friends.

“To be in Paris, it’s the closest I imagine I will get to having a home Games”, said Martin.

“To have my family, my wife, my daughter, my friends, my teammates and everyone at Drumchapel table tennis club coming along, it’s just going to mean so much to me as they have all played a big part in getting me to this point. To share that moment with them is just going to be so special.”

Although Martin is incredibly proud to be a representative of ParalympicsGB, he is the only Scottish athlete in the table tennis squad. This offers a unique opportunity to also represent Scotland on the International stage. “It’s an amazing feeling, it fills me with such pride because I am the only Scottish table tennis representative at the Olympics and Paralympics in the modern Paralympic era”, Martin said.

Once he had confirmation that he’d qualified for the Paralympics, many emotional phonecalls were made including to his wife, Siobhan, and his coach from Drumchapel.

“Sport allows me to not feel disabled, it allows me to feel that I can achieve anything and do anything”, Martin said.

“It’s really changed my life. Table tennis has really shaped me and helped me become who I am today. I’m very grateful for the opportunity that sport has given me.”

He continued to say: “I had no idea I could become a Paralympian. Chasing a little white ball around a table, but I have done it and it’s been an amazing journey.”

The Paralympic Games runs from 28th August to 8th September.

Martin will begin his Paralympic campaign on Thursday 29th August with the Men’s Doubles MD14, Round of 16. You can view the full schedule here.

12/08/2024

SDS Supports the Eric Liddell 100 Legacy Project

We all know the theme tune of the film Chariots of Fire but do we know the story behind the main character, Eric Liddell? To find out more about him, watch this short video, Eric Liddell.

It has been 100 years since Eric won the gold medal in the 400m event at the Paris 1924 Summer Olympic Games. SDS is supporting our partners, Eric Liddell 100 Legacy Project, to recognise and celebrate the life of Eric Liddell in two ways:

1. For this year only, the SDS National Senior Athletics Championships will name all 400m events, the Eric Liddell 400m event. All winners of the 400m events will receive an Eric Liddell medal.

2. One person from each SDS member branch will be awarded a unique Eric Liddell pin badge at SDS’s AGM on Sunday 6th October. SDS will award 14 ‘Eric Liddell Pin Badges’ at the AGM to celebrate some outstanding individuals that demonstrate the Eric Liddell values (listed below), whilst contributing to the development of disability sport in Scotland.

Passion – enthusiasm, dedication, optimism, self-belief

Compassion – humility, selflessness, respect, care, community-minded

Integrity – discretion, loyalty, self-sacrifice, principled

One of the 14 Pin Badge Award winners may be nominated to attend the Eric Liddell 100 Awards 2024 event in November. Nomination forms will be sent to all SDS member branches soon.

If you would like further information on any of the above, please don’t hesitate to email us at admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com or telephone us at 0131 317 1130.

27/06/2024

The Power of Pride

By William Moncrieff, Communications Apprentice

June is recognised internationally as Pride Month. It provides millions of people worldwide with a platform to raise awareness for the LGBTQ+ community.

Lynne Glen, Scottish Disability Sports’ Head of Development and proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, believes that it is incredibly important to have role models in the sport community.

“It is essential for everyone to see the LGBTQ+ community represented in all areas of sport and physical activity. The visibility of LGBTQ+ individuals can change the perceptions of people who aren’t part of the community and reinforce to people of all ages who want to come out, that sports can offer a positive experience and impact on individuals by participating, which can be significant to their health and wellbeing,” said Lynne.

Lynne knows the impact that role models can have and feels passionate about challenging misconceptions: “Generally, I want to fit into life with everyone else but I don’t shy away from mentioning my wife in conversation as it is essential to be visible and not hide away.”

She continues to say, “I do feel a responsibility to do this, as the many LGBTQ+ have done so before me to make it easier for me to live my life as an out gay woman. I find this easier now but haven’t always.”

Lynne has been involved in disability sport in various capacities since 2002. Her journey started as a volunteer within the Falkirk area. Following this, she and her wife set up Denny Devils Multi Sports Club – a multisport club for children and young people with a disability.

“I felt very passionate about everyone accessing sports and physical activity, and volunteering in disability sports was very rewarding,” said Lynne.

Today – alongside her work at Scottish Disability Sport – Lynne volunteers at a local Boccia club as a safeguarding officer as well as often overseeing the volunteer recruitment and development. Furthermore, she is a volunteer director with Judo Scotland, focusing her efforts on promoting and supporting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Lynne believes that Pride Month alongside other campaigns, such as The Rainbow Laces Campaign, play an important role in challenging societal perceptions: “They raise awareness in the community to non-members of the community, showing that we are not any different from anyone else who may be in your workplace or be your club member or volunteer. Also that the LGBTQ+ community can offer diverse thinking and outcomes for your organisation.”

Although there has been development in societal acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, it is an important conversation to continue having.

“I definitely do feel there has been a shift in acceptance in society but I also feel more progress can be made, as many people still experience discrimination in their everyday lives,” said Lynne.

“I find it easier to be open and out within my professional role in SDS.  I feel confident being ‘my authentic self’ and can speak openly about my wife and family. This hasn’t always been the case in previous employment in different sectors though.  We had to wait for almost twenty years before we could marry. Thankfully, same sex people can now marry and have been able to do so since 2014, which is a huge cultural change in Scotland but unfortunately, there are many countries that don’t have such progressive views or practices.”

Lynne continued to say: “More representation from members of the community in all walks of life will result in more diverse strategy, policy, planning and practice at local level which will in turn result in more engagement from diverse communities. This has to be proportionate to target resources at engaging and retaining diverse communities and in particular those with intersecting communities.”

Lynne hopes that, “the next generation of young people will face no discrimination for being ‘different’ and will embrace who they are without worrying about what others think about them. Everyone would be considered as an individual with no judgement and would be seen as valued members of their community regardless of who they are, how they identify and who they love.”

SDS uses sport as a platform to help promote a fully inclusive and diverse society, one that is accepting of everyone. Through strong leadership and effective partnerships, SDS will engage and sustain participants, support athlete progression and influence change, whilst practicing their values of inclusion, respect, integrity and ambition.

17/06/2024

SDS Demonstrates Best Practice at the Scottish Student Sport Conference

Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) was delighted to take up an invitation from Scottish Student Sport (SSS) to present at their annual conference. Our West of Scotland Regional Manager, Fraser Kennedy, joined the SSS Inclusion and Culture Coordinator Eilidh Gibson and Lynne Glen, SDS Head of Development, to provide an overview of SDS and their partnership work with SSS.

The presentation to the conference delegates raised awareness of the following:

- Importance of inclusive practice – highlighting the education and learning workshops available to college and university students,
- Volunteering opportunities that SDS and its member branches can offer students,
- Connecting and working in partnership with SDS Regional Managers and the branch network across Scotland.

Fraser highlighted the best practice model of the Glasgow Partnership Forum, which includes the Sports Development Coordinator, the representatives from the Strathclyde Sports Union, the City of Glasgow College Active Campus Co-ordinator, SSS and SDS. The partners work together to increase opportunities across the two institutions for students with disabilities.