Tom is one of Scotland’s most talented all round wheelchair sportsmen. His record in international sport is very impressive and he is one of a unique breed of disabled sportsmen who has excelled at Summer and Winter Paralympic Games. Wheelchair fencing, table tennis, basketball and more recently curling are the sports where Tom has made his mark.
Tom has represented Scotland at the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games and was a Summer Paralympian in 1980 and 1984 where he won 2 silver and 2 bronze medals for fencing. He has won medals for Scotland and Great Britain in fencing, table tennis, basketball and wheelchair curling. He has won a considerable number of British Championships and like so many of the wheelchair curling team he is a great team player. Tom played table tennis from his wheelchair in the mainstream Open Edinburgh and Lothian League for many years. In the early years of the SDS Table Tennis Championships, Tom dominated the section for wheelchair players. His chair handling skills were exceptional and his ability to cover the table had to be seen to be believed.
In 2003, Tom joined the Braehead Club and was introduced to wheelchair curling and very quickly established himself within the Scottish team. Tom is now a regular member of Scottish and British wheelchair curling teams. Success in individual and pairs competitions quickly followed and in 2005 he was selected for the Scottish team that went on to win the World Championship at Braehead. Selection for Great Britain soon followed and he was a key member of the GB team that won silver at the Winter Paralympics in Torino. Tom was also a member of Team GB at the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver and is all geared up to challenge for a place in the GB Team for the Winter Paralympics in Russia in 2014.
Tom was Scottish Wheelchair Curling Champion in 2007, 2010 and 2011 and British Champion in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009. He has the record of having competed in every World Championships between 2005 and 2012, the most recent being in South Korea.
Tom is a gentle giant who is ideally equipped for a curling team. He is as passionate now about his sport as he was when he first became involved in the 70’s. Tom’s wife Maggie was an outstanding wheelchair fencer who also achieved great success in international sport. Tom was selected to carry the Olympic Torch for London 2012.