British Team head to Sweden in search of European Athletics Success
Marcel Hodge, courtesy of Fairway Photographic
Fresh from World Indoor success in Manchester, the Great Britain Athletics Team was revealed today by the UK Sports Association (UKSA). During 12th – 18th June 2012, 10 athletes from across the UK will challenge Europe’s best at the INAS European Athletics Championships in Gavle, Sweden.
Earning their place on the Team are Emily Rawlins (Longsight, Manchester), Martina Barber (Stevenage, Herts), Kimberley Aspland (Beccles, Suffolk), Holly Durbidge (Lowestoft, Suffolk), Stephanie Moore (Blaydon On Tyne, Newcastle), Declan Manning (Bungay, Suffolk), Owen Miller (Dunfermline, Fife), Robert Ferrol (Carmyle, Glasgow), James Simpson (Ulverston, Cumbria) and Marcel Hodge (Syston, Leicestershire). The support staff are Team Manager, Paul Burns (Barrow, Cumbria) and coaches, John Wootton (Wakefield, West Yorks) and Christine Galloway (Halifax, West Yorks).
Martina Barber said ‘I am really excited about the Championships”, a sentiment echoed by team mate Robert Ferrol who added “I am excited and I hope to achieve personal best times’.
Team Manager, Paul Burns said “This is an exciting opportunity for me to work with some athletes that I haven’t worked with before. The Team is a young one with a lot of potential. Outdoor competitions are usually more difficult than indoors because we expect a greater depth to other nation’s teams. It’s an opportunity for the Team to equal if not exceed the successes at the recent World Indoors. We’re expecting a tough challenge from the hosts Sweden and probably Portugal who are usually strong. ”
Tracey McCillen, Chief Executive, UK Sports Association said “The INAS Europeans are an important part of an athletes development to reach the sorts of performances we expect at the Global Games and ultimately the Paralympic Games. No doubt some on this young team are already thinking about the 2015 Global Games and even as far ahead as the Paralympics in Rio 2016. I wish them well and hope that the Team performs well in Sweden”.
To find out more contact the UK Sports Association.
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Athletes and Nations Praised for their Support in Helping Classification Project Win Gold
Celebrating today as the research project that helped to re-include athletes with intellectual disability into the Paralympic Games won the Podium Awards, INAS President, Dr Bob Price praised athletes and INAS member organisations for their contribution and support to its success.
Over 230 nominations were received for the RCUK Award for Exceptional Research Contribution for London 2012 inspired projects at the first ever Podium Awards. In front of over 350 attendees including Paul Deighton, CEO, London 2012 Organising Committee and Xavier Gonzalez, Chief Executive, IPC, the event celebrated UK colleges and universities contribution to the Olympic and Paralympic Games and their legacy.
The sports classification project nominated by Professor Jan Burns of Canterbury Christchurch University who is also Head of Eligibility, INAS, and a member of the research project team was a collaboration between INAS, IPC, and a number of UK, European and North American Universities. Its aim was to develop a method of classification which measures the impact of an athlete’s impairment on sport performance. This was required to allow athletes with intellectual disability to once again compete in the Paralympic Games, beginning with London 2012.
Centre, Jan Burns with Paul Deighton (left) & Dr Bob Price (right)
Dr Bob Price, INAS President said “This award recognises the commitment of the research team, all of whom worked on this project in a voluntary capacity, and the value of partnership between the universities involved but it also recognises the huge contribution of the many athletes and INAS member organisations who supported the project over a number of years and worked with us to put in place the procedures needed to secure Paralympic re-inclusion”.
Paul Deighton, CEO LOCOG said; “Colleges and Universities have played an integral role in supporting London 2012. I congratulate all involved with the Sport Classification for Paralympic Athletes with intellectual disabilities project on winning a gold medal at the Podium Awards. This project is a tremendous example of how the power of the Games is being used to inspire people to make a real and lasting difference.”
On receiving the award, Xavier Gonzalez, IPC Chief Executive said “I am very happy and proud to receive this award for the classification research, but more than anything I am happy that athletes with an intellectual disability are back in the Paralympics'.
Athletes with an intellectual disability will participate in the London Paralympic Games for the first time since Sydney 2000, and will compete in Athletics (T/F20), Swimming (S/SB14) and Table Tennis (T11). Recent announcements from ParalympicsGB have confirmed athletes with intellectual disability on the British Team in swimming and table tennis. Selection in Athletics will take place in July.
Swimmers with Learning Disability in ParalympicGB Team for London
Chloe Davies and Jessica-Jane Applegate (wearing cap)
Congratulations to Jessica-Jane Applegate (Great Yarmouth), Chloe Davies (Midsomer Norton, Somerset) and Aaron Moores (Trowbridge, Wiltshire) whose places have now been confirmed for the London 2012 Paralympic Games Great Britain.
In addition to Applegate, Moores and Davies congratulations to those nominated for the GB Team, pending the final awarding of slots Natalie Massey (Stockport), Daniel Pepper (Stockport), Ben Procter (Newquay) and Craig Rodgie (Dunfermline).
Commenting on the Team, ParalympicsGB Chef De Mission Craig Hunter said "Its great news that the Paralympics GB team for London will be bolstered by such a strong squad of swimmers. Swimming has historically been a sport in which British Paralympians excel and the team have produced some outstanding performances since the last Paralympics in Beijing".
National Performance Director John Atkinson said: “I am really pleased to see a strong squad of athletes set to represent ParalympicsGB at this year’s home Games. We have a great mix of youth and experience within this group and with 45% of the athletes preparing to take part in their first Games, I am sure our experienced athletes will help them settle into the routine of a Paralympic Games.
Tracey McCillen, CEO UK Sports Association said ‘This is the sort of news we wait for – congratulations to the whole team, but particularly these swimmers at their first Paralympic Games. It really is a testimony to their dedication and hard work and to British Swimming on how quickly they reintroduced programmes for S14 swimmers after the IPC decision – finally we get to see these talented swimmers compete on the ultimate sports stage and for the first time since the Sydney 2000 Games. I’m looking forward to some exciting performances in London”
The 2012 Paralympic Games will be held in London from 29 August-9 September 2012. For the full story and more information on the swimmers on the GB Paralympic Team please click here.
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