AgilityMagazine Issue 7 September 2019
Will
Bayley
Can Paralympic champ ‘waltz’ to another gold?
ALSO INSIDE: SUPERHERO TRI | STEVE BATE | WORLD PARA SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS | SOPHIE CARRIGILL
HUUBDES IGN .COM /A LBACOR E
Editor's
Welcome Celebrating our parasports stars…
WELCOME to the September edition of Agility – the digital magazine focused on disability sports and our Paralympic stars. This issue celebrates some stunning GB medal hauls across a huge range of parasports. London Aquatics Centre was once again the scene for some fantastic top-level competition as the World Para Swimming Championships descended on the capital earlier this month. And the home team certainly didn’t disappoint, finishing second on the medals table with 47 podium finishes – including a magnificent seven golds for the remarkable Alice Tai. We hear from British Swimming’s Rob Aubry and Chris Furber on the squad’s perfect preparation for Tokyo 2020 – on page 18. Eight more British medals arrived this month at the World Para-Cycling Championships in Emmen, with Dame Sarah Storey claiming double gold, and Katie Toft double silver. Paralympic champion Steve Bate, interviewed in this issue, put a year of injury and doubts behind him by teaming up again
with pilot Adam Duggleby to net silver in the Netherlands. Elsewhere, Lauren Steadman and Fran Brown were on the gold trail as Britain claimed six medals at the Paratriathlon European Championships – and British Wheelchair Basketball’s men and women claimed gold and silver respectively at their European Championships. The British Canoeing and British Rowing line-ups excelled at their World Champs too and that was just the tip of the iceberg as our parasports stars racked up the medals during August and September. With less than a year remaining until the Paralympic Games, British athletes are poised to excite and inspire once again, and we can’t wait! Thank you once again to all our readers, supporters and contributors - and enjoy the seventh edition of Agility.
Lee Jones Agility Magazine, Managing Editor
Many thanks to…
Agilitymagazine | 1
AgilityMagazine Issue 7 September 2019
Will
Bayley
Can Paralympic champ ‘waltz’ to another gold?
ALSO INSIDE: SUPERHERO TRI | STEVE BATE | WORLD PARA SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS | SOPHIE CARRIGILL
Cover image: Will Bayley Credit: ParalympicsGB © AWJ Publishing. All rights reserved. ISSN-2516-4872 +44 7583 026271 info@awjpublishing.co.uk www.awjpublishing.co.uk Twitter: @Agility_mag Facebook: @AgilityMagazine Managing Editor: Lee Jones Digital Editor: Damien Wilde Sales Manager: Emily Saville Contributors: Hannah Cockroft, Barry Horne, Emma Wiggs Images: ParalympicsGB, Activity Alliance, British Canoeing, Superhero Series, Paralympics Ireland, British Wheelchair Basketball / Will Johnston, British Wheelchair Basketball / SA Images, Human Race, Georgie Kerr Photography / British Swimming Design by:
info@newroadcreative.co.uk @newroadcreative Agility Magazine is published by AWJ Publishing. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of the Managing Editor or AWJ Publishing. Reproduction is strictly prohibited without the written consent of the Publisher
Contents Issue 7 Sept 2019
8 12 18
WILL BAYLEY Mum’s the word as Paralympic champ embarks on his Strictly challenge
SUPERHERO TRI Menna and Jen were team captains at another fantastic inclusive event WORLD PARA SWIMMING CHAMPS Why GB’s success in London is the perfect preparation for Tokyo 2020
22 24 30
HANNAH COCKROFT Hurricane Hannah looks ahead to the World Para Athletics Championships
STEVE BATE A challenging year ended with another World Championships medal SOPHIE CARRIGILL On helping GB’s women to net their place at the 2020 Paralympics Agilitymagazine | 2
34 36 40
ACTIVITY ALLIANCE CEO Barry Horne provides an update on the ‘Who Says?’ campaign PARALYMPICS IRELAND Miriam Malone outlines the organisation’s Tokyo ‘top-five’ target
EMMA WIGGS Jekyll or Hyde? The mind-set and behaviours that underpin performance
FANTASTICALLY FLAT AND FAMOUSLY FRIENDLY
MANCHESTER
ONE OF THE 5 LARGEST EUROPEAN MARATHONS
MARATHON
2020 SUNDAY 5TH APRIL 2020 W W W.MANCH ESTERMARATHO N.C O .U K
In the News...
Take a look at this great video from BP
Hewett and Lapthorne double up BRITS Alfie Hewett and Andy Lapthorne netted two titles apiece at the US Open. Lapthorne overcame Dylan Alcott to claim the quad title at Flushing Meadows before teaming up with the Aussie to win the quad doubles final. Lapthorne and Alcott beat Americans David
Wagner and Bryan Barten 6-7 (5-7) 6-1 10-6 in the doubles, making it back-to-back Grand Slam wins following their Wimbledon victory. “It’s massive to beat Dylan,” Lapthorne remarked. “To do it 6-1 6-0 is crazy. I’m massively pleased. He’s one of the best players in our division and world number one for a reason. “The whole week I’ve been trying to put my game on the court and hope it matches up, and in the final it did, so I’m really pleased.” Hewett (pictured) was victorious in the wheelchair singles final thanks to a 7-6 (119) 7-6 (7-5) victory over Frenchman Stephane Houdet. He added the doubles crown, teaming up with Gordon Reid to defeat Japan’s Shingo Kunieda and Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez. The pairing triumphed 1-6 6-4 11-9 to retain their US Open doubles title for a third successive year.
British boats heading to Tokyo ALL three British boats qualified for the 2020 Paralympics - with two securing gold - at the World Rowing Championships. While the GB mixed coxed four (Ellen Buttrick, Giedre Rakauskaite, James Fox, Ollie Stanhope and cox Erin Wysocki-Jones) and mixed double sculls (Lauren Rowles and Laurence Whiteley) stormed to victories in their finals, PR1 single sculler Benjamin Pritchard finished fourth - having earlier won his semi-final and qualified the men’s
single for Tokyo. Britain’s Director of Performance Brendan Purcell said: “Having two world champion crews and all three boats qualified for the Paralympic Games is an outstanding achievement and credit should go to Tom Dyson and his team. A huge thank you to all the coaches and support team for the dedication and time they invest to enable the athletes to reach the start line, ready to compete for medals and qualification.
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Six Euro medals LAUREN STEADMAN and Fran Brown were on the gold trail as Great Britain claimed six medals at the Paratriathlon European Championships. Steadman came second to fellow Brit Claire Cashmore in the ITU World Paratriathlon Series Grand Final earlier this month but the positions were reversed in the PTS5 women’s race in Valencia. Steadman and Cashmore were clear of the field at the end of the bike phase before the Paralympic silver medallist pulled away during the run. In the PTS2 women’s race, Brown grabbed the lead during the swim and maintained that advantage all the way to the finish line. Melissa Reid won silver in the PTVI women’s event, while GB’s Andy Lewis came second in the men’s PTS2. In the women’s PTWC race, Jade Jones-Hall earned a fine bronze medal to make it a superb six medal-haul for Great Britain.
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M
ANY sports fans will already know Will Bayley for dancing – on a table! The 31-year-old hit the headlines three years ago when his Paralympic triumph in Rio sparked wild celebrations and saw him jump on to the table in delight. That victory over home favourite Israel Pereira Stroh in the class 7 final was especially enjoyable following Will’s final loss in London four years earlier. And the gold medallist is ready to party again after being in action as one of the 15 celebrities taking part in the 17th series of Strictly Come Dancing. Following sprint star Jonnie Peacock and triathlon champion Lauren Steadman, Will is the latest Paralympian to face the Strictly judges.
In addition to taking on a new challenge, he admits that his mum played a part in his decision to sign up to the popular BBC show. Speaking earlier this month ahead of the start of the latest series, Will told Agility: “I haven’t actually started my training yet, but I’m so excited and can’t wait for it to begin. It’s all starting to feel real now. I think, with my disability (arthrogryposis), balance will be a big challenge for me, that and the fear of dancing live on TV! “Strictly is my mum’s favourite show! So many people watch it, don’t they? I think it’s great to be learning a new skill.” So can Will’s sporting pedigree and competitive edge prove advantageous in the battle for the famous glitter ball trophy? “I think so,” he said. “I hope so! I don’t want to just settle for taking part, I want to do the best I can and give it everything I’ve got. I also don’t want to let my dance partner down.”
Will
Bayley
Mum’s the word as Paralympic table tennis champ Will embarks on Strictly challenge Agilitymagazine | 9
“Every day I think about Tokyo 2020. Table tennis is a massive part of my life, and it would be a dream come true to go and retain my title.” With less than a year until the 2020 Paralympic Games, Will remains focused on the day job too. Recently back in competitive action at the European Para Table Tennis Championships, he believes that his Rio 2016 experience will stand him in good stead. He added: “Every day I think about Tokyo 2020. Table tennis is a massive part of my life, and it would be a dream come true to go and retain my title. “When you’ve done it before, you know you can do it. I know I can and just want to get there and do it. I’m really looking forward to the challenge. “I’m really happy with my game. This season has been amazing so far. Table tennis is an unpredictable sport, but I won gold at the Italian, Slovenian and Japan Opens and have regained the world number one ranking in my class so everything is going really well. “Retaining my Paralympic title would mean everything to me.”w
PARALYMPIC MEMORIES Rio 2016 “I lost my first match and had to beat Lio of China 3-0 to ensure progression. I remember crying after my first loss and my coach taking me into a cupboard in the playing venue. He reminded me how much of a fighter I am, to always believe and told me that I’m the best in the world. I kept my chin up and the next day I beat China 3-0. The rest is history.” London 2012 “Going in as world number two was good for me. I felt I had a strong season but I knew I was going to be better than ever in London. I felt I had trained harder than anyone in my class around the world. I was prepared to die for the cause. It was my dream to play in the Paralympics in front of a home crowd. I did it and reached the final. London will always be remembered as the best Paralympics I’ve ever taken part in.”
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Superh
Menna and Jen were amongst the team captains at another fa Agilitymagazine | 12
hero Tri
antastic inclusive event
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M
ORE than 2,000 participants headed to Dorney Lake last month for the latest instalment of the Superhero Series – the 2019 Superhero Tri. They were joined by TV presenter Clare Balding and a string of Paralympians for another fantastic day at the UK’s one and only disability sports series for the
everyday superhero. Amongst the Paralympic stars in attendance were sprinter Jonnie Peacock, tennis star Alfie Hewett, equestrian champion Sophie Christiansen, athletes Olivia Breen and Kare Adenegan, and swimmer Liz Johnson.
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Now in its third year, the Superhero Series mission has always been to create fun, full-throttle mass-participation sports challenges where people with disabilities call the shots and don’t have to worry about cut-off times or equipment restrictions. For all those challenges, participants can either fly solo or team up with family and friends to do as much or as little as they wish, with as much or as little support as they need. If they want flippers or floats in the water or need to use their powerchair, Superhero Series makes it possible. In short, anything goes. Amongst the team captains in attendance for participants to team up with were ski stars Menna Fitzpatrick and Jennifer Kehoe. Menna and Jen became Great Britain’s most-decorated Winter Paralympians at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, winning one gold, two silver and one bronze medal. “The Superhero Tri powered by Marvel was an amazing event and great fun for everyone involved. We love being a part of it,” said Menna. “There were many highlights but if we have to choose one, the moment we all crossed the finish line as one team was one of the best, as well as cheering on our team-mates in the other stages of the tri. We were really proud of Tom and Chloe for being amazing team-mates!” Jen added: “It’s great seeing Paralympic athletes getting involved because we all have a duty to inspire the next generation of athletes and to ensure that the sports keep growing. “The Superhero Tri is one of the best events to get involved with. It also is amazing to see so many people wanting to do sports - even with their impairment they love sports and getting involved.”
Menna and Jen, above, took part in a fabulous day at the 2019 Superhero Tri at Dorney Lake
Explaining why they chose to get involved in the event – created by Paralympian Sophia Warner in August 2017 – Jen commented: “We loved the idea of an event that offered the chance for everyone to find their inner superpower, compete and finish, regardless of ability. “Sport continually pushes boundaries and tests the limits of human endurance and you see this everywhere at the Superhero Tri! It’s an incredible atmosphere. Sophia asked us personally if we would get involved when we appeared together on a Q&A panel a couple of years ago. We jumped at the chance to be involved!” Menna continued: “We are really privileged to build on our success at the 2018 Winter Paralympics to inspire others. Speaking to young people is amazing - they usually ask us very insightful, honest questions and are full of hope. “It’s very exciting being able to share our story and medals. Hopefully one day they will go out and win their own! We also love inspiring older people too - sometimes people say they have started a new sport or activity or returned to playing a sport that they had not played for a while.”
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Watch this fantastic video to find out more about the Superhero Series events
“It’s great seeing Paralympic athletes getting involved because we all have a duty to inspire the next generation of athletes and to ensure that the sports keep growing.” Menna, who is visually impaired, and her guide Jen were amongst the stars of last year’s Winter Paralympics in South Korea. Hurtling down the slopes at speeds approaching 70mph, the pair captured the public’s imagination on their way to their superb four-medal haul which included gold in the slalom on the final day of the Games. Now, the duo are focusing on the next Winter Paralympics – Beijing 2022. “With three years to go, we have been training hard this summer off-snow, building up our base fitness levels and endurance,” said Menna. “The 2019/20 season will be a bit different for us as Jen was promoted to Major this year and must return to the Army for six months. I have already started launching my career in media production, by doing some work experience with Whisper Films for a couple of weeks. “We will officially be back on snow together in March, competing in the World Cup finals in Sweden.”w
WINTER WONDERWHEELS (1 December 2019, Dorney Lake, Windsor) This festive extravaganza – the next part of the Superhero Series - is just the challenge to keep participants motivated through the colder months! Everyday Superheroes are invited to cycle, walk, run, push, or anything in between around Dorney’s spectacular lake. The event has 1km, 5km and 10km challenges, so there’s something for everyone. The challenges will, of course, embody the ‘anything goes’ ethos. There’ll be no cut-off times and all types of gadgets and gismos are welcome, from day chairs, hand-cycles, walking frames and trikes to tandems, race runners, blades and bikes. The organisers will be turning up the festive fun to the max at this family-friendly event, so add plenty of Christmas sparkle to those Superhero costumes! Visit www.superheroseries.co.uk for more information about the Winter Wonderwheels event.
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World Para
Swimming Ch
Why GB’s success in London is the perfect preparation for Tok Agilitymagazine | 2
hampionships
kyo 2020
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Agilitymagazine | 4 Š Georgie Kerr Photography / British Swimming
S
ECOND on the medals table, 19 golds and a string of world records – what a World Para Swimming Championships it was for the Great Britain team. Top level para swimming action returned to the London Aquatics Centre for the first time since the 2012 Paralympics, and the British squad and support staff ensured it was another week of celebration for the
home support. Alice Tai led the way with a magnificent seven gold medals, but the headlines were rightly shared, with the likes of Tully Kearney, Reece Dunn and Brock Whiston all becoming three-time world champions. In total, GB landed 47 medals in the capital, providing the perfect preparation as the countdown to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games really begins. “From a performance perspective, I’m absolutely delighted with the way the team has performed,” commented Team Leader Chris Furber. “We’ve very much focused on two things. One was the process of making sure we swam hard in the heats and moved those things on in finals and we’ve achieved the goals we set in that area. “The other was very much ensuring we really rehearsed what we wanted to achieve and what we put in place for Tokyo in terms of the staffing model, how we’ve positioned ourselves and the culture we’ve had as a team. It is exactly what we’ve wanted to practice ahead of Tokyo. “I’m delighted we’ve come away from these championships with great performances and really grown together as a team over the last days.”
and family feeling for some of the athletes, so when they go away they’ve got the support network within the team.” British Swimming’s pre-Paralympics training base, at Suzuka Sports Garden, is just a two-hour bullet train ride from the heart of Tokyo. But it won’t be the squad’s first taste of Japanese culture. Rob continued: “Prior to the World Championships, we took one group of swimmers out to Japan and, while it was a training camp, it was more around understanding the culture and the environment. “The staff that we are working with taught the athletes everything, from how to hold chopsticks to what the different local food varieties look like. We really embedded ourselves within that culture which is very important. “The humidity and environment are very different. Often with big events we get to see the airport, the hotel and the pool – we don’t usually get to see any of the big things when we’re in a different county. So we try to tick a few of those off on the training camps, and when we’re there at the Games there aren’t any distractions. We’re there to compete and do a job.”w
Cultivating that team ethic has been a key aim for British Swimming ahead of Tokyo, as Rob Aubry, Head Coach of British Para-Swimming, explained. “We are a team when we go away and it’s important for athletes to room-share and understand how they support each other in a room-sharing environment and for staff to learn the athletes’ needs and support methods that they require on a daily basis,” he said. “Seeing athletes build lifelong friendships, through football and other activities they do outside of the sport, is also really important. That helps create that team
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GB SWIMMER TWEETS Alice Tai 7x world champion! Thanks to everyone for all the love and support over the last week, it’s been absolutely crazy! Lots to work on into next season but, for now, I need a rest. Tully Kearney So happy with my swims at the @Para_swimming @Allianz World Championships! Three golds, three British records and two championship records, progressed from heats to finals in all events! Thanks everyone for all the support especially @ britishswimming staff! Off for a break in the sun now! Ellie Simmonds I am still lost for words! Not only to medal but to break two PBs in a day was beyond anything I could have hoped for. Thank you once again to the amazing crowd and those watching on @Channel4 @C4Paralympics who gave all us athletes a week to remember!
Hannah Columnist
COCKROFT
On organising events while preparing for the World Para Athletics Championships
T
HE first ever Muller Para Track Grand Prix went really, really well – especially as we organised the whole thing in six weeks! We had 60 athletes competing in Kirkby, loads of people spectating and a world record broken there as well, which was pretty cool. It was also nice to get out of my own bed on a race morning for the first time ever. Muller were fantastic. We had yoghurts, foam fingers and t-shirts everywhere, and even had the ‘Muller-licious Moment of the Day’ with someone getting some prize money at the end of it, which is pretty unusual at para events and something quite special. We’ve had wonderful feedback and positive comments about the day and I’m already being asked when we are planning to do it next year. I’m not too sure if I can do it again – it was a massive learning curve for me. When we had this idea of putting a race meet on we didn’t really know what went into a race meet to be honest. There were so many parts of it that we just didn’t consider, like licences, getting the officials, getting insurance and so on. You think you can just book a track and that’s it, but it didn’t work out like that. We were constantly having to look for guidance throughout the whole organisation process. We know all that now, so if we were to do it again we’ve Agilitymagazine | 2
got the building blocks in place and know how involved it is. Most importantly, we would probably give ourselves more than six weeks to organise it! Despite all that, we had a great mixture of athletes and it was nice to be up north, which was the main point of it all. Everyone was happy and Muller made everyone feel a part of it – it was a fantastic day although I was relieved when it was done! I could do with a rest now, but the GB squad for the World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai was announced last week and I’ve got plenty of hard work to do before November 7. I’ve had a really good season and am back to number one in the world in both my distances – the 100m and 800m – which is quite a nice place to be. It’s all about making sure I’m in prime condition for that now. We’re going to Spain for two weeks just before the championships to fully focus on training and get some warm weather training in. Going from November in England to November in Dubai is going to be quite a jump if not!
There are quite a lot of new names on the British team so I’m looking forward to meeting them. Hopefully the more experienced of us can encourage and help the newer people to come through and show what they can do. This will be my fifth world championships and it’s always nice to see the team growing and developing. We’re without one or two big names who will be missed, but that gives someone else a stage to step up and show that they can perform at the highest level. It will be great to welcome them and we might have a few new champions to get excited about. It makes you think. If we’re bringing through so many new names then what talent is coming through in other countries? What girls in my events do I not know about? That gives you that little extra push in the final weeks of training, to do everything you can to be in the best possible shape. This is about the time when new names start coming out and trying to qualify for the next Paralympic Games. It’s exciting and should make for a fantastic World Champs.w Irwin Mitchell is proud to sponsor Hannah Cockroft’s column in Agility Magazine. www.irwinmitchell.com Agilitymagazine | 3
Steve
BATE Back racing again and back on the podium
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I
T’S been a challenging year for Steve Bate, but typically for the 42-year-old it ended with a medal. Since joining the Great Britain Cycling Team Paralympic Podium Programme in December 2014, Steve and his pilot Adam Duggleby have enjoyed incredible success. In Rio they dominated the tandem endurance events, setting a new world record in qualifying to win gold in the tandem pursuit on the track and winning gold in the road time-trial before picking up a bronze medal in the road race. A world title was missing from their set – until last year when the duo claimed individual pursuit gold at the Paracycling Track World Championships before repeating the trick in the time trial at the road world championships later that year. The pairing added silver to their collection at the 2019 road championships in Emmen earlier this month as Great Britain ended the event with a total of eight medals. Steve and Adam narrowly missed out on another medal in the road race, finishing fourth, while Dame Sarah Storey claimed WC5 gold in both the time trial and road race, and Katie Toft won two silvers in the WC1 category. There were also medals for Lora Fachie and Corrine Hall (WB time trial bronze), Ben Watson (MC3 time trial bronze) and Jaco van Gass (MC3 road race silver). It represented a particularly impressive achievement for Bate, who only returned to racing last month following a year beset by injury and illness. He told Agility: “Canada was our first road race of the season – we missed the earlier rounds of the ParaCycling Road World Cup because I had a back injury. It was strange starting the season in August but we came second, ten seconds behind the Dutch tandem. “It’s always disappointing not winning but I was relatively happy with our performance. We probably lost the gold – we made a couple of mistakes which shows that we haven’t raced enough this year but second in the time trial wasn’t too bad and set us up nicely for the World Champs. “With my injury and illness, it’s just been one of those years,” continued Steve. “Considering that, we went into the Worlds feeling pretty good and super motivated to try to defend our title. There was definitely a freshness to how I was feeling and I was super keen to take on the best in the world again and see where we’re at. “We’re very fortunate with the medical staff at British Cycling. We’re really well supported and there’s no way I would have been back in this position without their support and guidance, which I’m eternally grateful for. “When I had the issue with my back it felt like it could have been the end of my career. Between the medical team and the strength and conditioning coach, they’ve done a great job to get me back and as strong as I am. Fingers-crossed that injury won’t happen again between now and Tokyo.” Agilitymagazine | 26
Steve admits that his long injury lay-off made him question his motivations and future in cycling. “Over the last year, mentally I’ve struggled a bit in terms of commitment to the programme and wondering if I really wanted to continue on to Tokyo,” he said. “I’ve not fallen out of love with riding but the impact it has on my life and family life is substantial. You have to be very selfish to do this and it got to the point where I was wondering ‘do I have to win any more medals? What is the purpose of me riding?’ “So I had a bit of soul-searching. I’ve been so lucky in my career – I haven’t really been injured and everything has gone pretty smoothly but this year that all unravelled. When that happens you start to wonder if it may be the end and you almost start to resent it in a way because you want to carry on but your body is starting to fail and other pressures are coming into it. Once upon a time that was easy to block out, whereas this year I’ve questioned whether I need to do this anymore. “Is going to Tokyo and winning more medals going to change me as a person, make me more financially secure and raise my profile?
“I had a bit of soulsearching. I’ve been so lucky in my career – I haven’t really been injured and everything has gone pretty smoothly but this year that all unravelled.” “The reality is that it’s not, but I’m not here to get rich – I’m here to test myself and see what I’m capable of. That’s what brought me back to the bike and working 110 per cent to get into the position where we are now. “It’s the hunger to see what I’m capable of – to see if I can do it all again.” Despite those initial doubts, Steve admits that he could feasibly continue beyond Tokyo and even have a tilt at the 2024 Games in Paris – at the age of 47. He remarked: “I’ve been in this position before a year out from the Games, and I know what it’s going to take to get to where I need to be. It’s nice being able to go into that year feeling fresh and being able to give it everything. “I’ve asked myself a question a lot this year – is this going to be the last time I put myself through this? I really don’t know. Physically, I think I could do another fouryear cycle. I feel as good now as I did going into the Rio Games, so there’s no reason why I couldn’t carry on. “It’s just mentally whether I’ve still got the desire. After Agilitymagazine | 27
Tokyo I will have answered the questions I have about myself in terms of sport and what I’m trying to achieve in cycling. So it’s about your motivation and what your new set of goals would be. “I’m still being very open-minded about that and I don’t want to make any decisions just yet. I didn’t think I would get this far – after Rio I thought that was it and I would move on to something else. I took some time away and thought about it, and I’ll probably do that again after Tokyo. “I don’t have a long list of all the Paralympic Games I’ve been to, unlike some of my team-mates! But I can’t fault Rio – it was an amazing time and an amazing atmosphere. It was a fantastic experience out there and the people were incredible. “These events are wonderful and you can’t buy the position that I’m in. It’s a privileged position and I want to make the very most of that.” If Steve and Adam are to retain their Paralympic road time trial crown they will need to overcome their good friends Vincent Ter Schure and Timo Fransen. The Dutch tandem finished 27 seconds ahead of the British duo at the recent world championships.
“They are our biggest rivals and probably our best mates too when we’re off the bike,” explained Steve. “Vincent and I had our very first race at the same time together back in 2014. We’ve got a bit in common there, we’re good friends and have a massive amount of respect for each other. “In 2018 at the Worlds, over 20-odd miles, we won it by half a second ahead of them. So we’ve got this fiercely competitive relationship but they’re good guys and just want to stand on the top step like we do.”w
“These events are wonderful and you can’t buy the position that I’m in. It’s a privileged position and I want to make the very most of that.”
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Inclusive and accessible Elite wheelchair racers are gunning for PBs at the Wiggle Manchester Half Marathon
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HEELCHAIR racers in the upcoming Wiggle Manchester Half Marathon are gearing up to smash their PBs as they take on what is one of the UK’s friendliest and flattest courses. This year’s event has attracted the highest number of elite female wheelchair racers to date, with four confirmed to line up at the start line on Sunday, October 13. Nine elite male wheelchair racers have confirmed their entry, all vying for the coveted win and accompanying prize money. Returning once again for this year’s race is assisted wheelchair team Stephan and Chloe Couture of Warwickshire, racing in a new custom built wheelchair and fresh off the
back of competing in a number of triathlons and running events over the summer. The father daughter team have fast gained a reputation for their fun and friendly personalities out on the course and championing inclusivity within mass participation sporting events throughout the UK and Europe. Also joining the field will be Lancaster man and former professional rugby player, Chris Nicholson. Chris has become known for his previous endeavours pushing his way to the top of Snowdon and taking part in the Original Mountain Marathon - an inclusive trail race that took place in May. Nick Rusling, CEO of Human Race, the organisation behind the Wiggle Manchester Half Marathon, said: “Our elite wheelchair racers are always the first to lead us out of the starting line and it’s such an impressive contest to witness. We’re delighted to attract such a high calibre of wheelchair athletes to our event and are aiming to continually grow the field. Agilitymagazine | 29
“Our Inclusivity Panel works closely with our wheelchair, assisted wheelchair and sightimpaired athletes to ensure they have a positive racing environment and we can’t wait to see them all come race day. They each form a key part of our goal of making the Wiggle Manchester Half Marathon the most inclusive and accessible mass participation event in the UK.” The event kicks off first thing in the morning, with supporters welcome to get in on the action around the course and enjoy the race village atmosphere at the finish line at Lancashire Cricket Club. Boasting a new city centre route section for 2020, the Manchester Marathon - now one of the five largest European Marathons - is returning to the streets of Manchester on Sunday, April 5 2020. For more information on the half marathon visit www.manchesterhalfmarathon.com – or turn to page six of this issue for more details on the Manchester Marathon.w
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Sophie
Carrigill On helping GB’s women to net their spot at the 2020 Paralympic Games
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T’S certainly been a fantastic few months for British Wheelchair Basketball’s men’s and women’s line-ups. First, the women secured their Tokyo 2020 spot with a superb silver medal winning display at the European Championships in Rotterdam in July. The men followed that up by claiming the Euro title – and their Paralympics place – earlier this month. Coach Haj Bhania’s men claimed their seventh European crown with eight victories from eight in Poland, culminating in a 77-52 triumph over Spain in the final.
© British Wheelchair Basketball/SA Images
Once again a key part of the GB women’s squad, Sophie Carrigill helped her side to a stunning 49-48 semi-final win over Germany. That was before a painful loss in the final to old foes The Netherlands, following defeat to the same opponents in the 2018 World Championships final. She told Agility: “Obviously getting silver was a great achievement, something we have never done before. But we are always striving to be the best and for the past two years running we have come up short against the Dutch. We are really chasing them and wanting that number one spot so, for me, it was bitter-sweet.” Despite that, Sophie insists there are plenty of positives to take from both the final and last-four clash with the Germans. “We can definitely play with that team (the Dutch),” the 25-year-old remarked. “It’s more of a learning opportunity every time we play them. We look back at the games and ask ourselves what we could have done better, what worked well, etc. “The semi-final was so close, just one point in it. We practice a lot of end game scenarios when the match
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© British Wheelchair Basketball/Will Johnston
“Rio was one of the best experiences of my life and I’m excited for this year-long journey in preparation for Tokyo. The target there is most definitely a medal.” gets close and I think that paid off. Still we are always striving to be better and we know we can dominate that team, not just come away with a one-point win.” Sophie and her team-mates can now turn their attentions to Tokyo, and a second Paralympic Games for the Yorkshire player who helped GB finish fourth in 2016. She continued: “Obviously that was the first goal at the Europeans and we achieved it! Rio for me was one of the best experiences of my life and I’m excited for this yearlong journey in preparation for Tokyo. “The target is definitely a medal, I can’t imagine how amazing it would feel to be on that podium at a Paralympics. It’s something completely different to any other tournament we play and means so much. We just have to put in all the hard work on the lead up. “If you see our recent success you can see that we are definitely improving. But so is every other team in the
world and we need to always stay ahead of the game and stay focused. You can’t take success for granted.” It’s been a remarkable journey for Sophie since she first tried wheelchair basketball with the Leeds Spiders team following a car accident in 2010. She explained: “If I’m really honest, to start with I hated it and was so frustrated. I’d been so sporty before my accident, it was the thing I excelled in and then to go completely back to basics was really hard for me. But I persevered! “I loved the community we have within basketball, that’s what kept me around. I love how inclusive it is for any age, any disability and able-bodied people can even get involved and play. Now playing at an elite level I just love the competition. I get so excited before we go to a tournament and I really enjoy challenging myself and trying to be the best.”w
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Advertorial
DYNAMIK Sport team up with BWB How do you ensure your sports facility provides the best environment for ALL users?
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S Technical Partners with British Wheelchair Basketball (BWB), DYNAMIK has installed sprung flooring at the BWB Basketball training centre at the English Institute of Sport, Sheffield. The launch this year with Collaborative Partner, Tarkett UK, an international flooring manufacturer, highlights the importance of the most suitable flooring for wheelchair sport. GB athletes from the Wheelchair Basketball team and World #4 Para-Badminton player, Martin Rooke, who trains on DYNAMIK sprung flooring finished with a solid sport vinyl playing surface, were available to answer questions relating to ideal playing surfaces for wheelchair sport. BWB has just announced their sports flooring guidance document which highlights their requirements for facilities that wish to offer wheelchair basketball now or in the future. Please contact DYNAMIK for a free copy of this document as well as the latest ESFA guideline specification for activity and sports areas. Good experiences at school result in good experiences in life, especially where sport is concerned. With ground-breaking new sports technology schools can now boast elite sporting facilities and by nurturing future international athletes, schools can create a meaningful footprint. What can be more rewarding for the school than inviting a top international athlete back to the school they attended to encourage a younger generation to reach their full potential. Some leading independent schools DYNAMIK has worked with describe how sport fits into their curriculum: “Competition in sport with a healthy understanding of winning and losing is important, as is the desire to improve oneself.” Box Hill School, Surrey “If a girl has already developed a particular talent, we have the expertise to help her reach her potential. If she has yet to find her sporting passion or interest she will be able to do so
through the enormous range of sports on offer.” Cheltenham Ladies College, Gloucestershire “There is a shared ethos across the College that Sport and PE have a direct positive impact on our boys’ well-being, from running a mile regularly to representing your country, the link between positive resilient mind-sets and physical activity cannot be ignored.” Dulwich College, London Beyond the classroom the provision of good indoor spaces attracts top performance and encouragement in sport and furthermore it demonstrates a long-term commitment to those using a facility, by showing how important it is to provide a dedicated area, for learning, training, and meeting. The modern Sports Hall is not only used for physical education classes but for all manner of other activities. With the right playing surface you can transform one of the largest spaces in your school into a focal point for social and community involvement. This highly attractive premise should be considered top priority for forward-thinking schools who are planning to upgrade their existing facilities. When a facility invests in a new sports floor they are not only saying, ‘we care about our students’ wellbeing’, but furthermore ‘we care how every person entering the facility will regard our school’ and this holistic approach to sport which includes physical activity alongside academic achievement is highly attractive to sponsors and investors. DYNAMIK Sport has vast experience of working with schools, colleges and Agilitymagazine | 33
universities. As leading suppliers of sports flooring in the UK they understand the needs of PE departments and sports centre managers. Not only guiding you through the decision-making process but offering free quotations and expert aftercare advice including sports floor protection when your hall is used for non-sporting activities. Commitment to sporting excellence extends to collaboration with British Wheelchair Basketball, sponsorship of Basketball England and England Netball - gold medal winners at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. In fact, DYNAMIK don’t just sell sports floors, they sell solutions. So, you need to ask yourself a question: Do I want to be remembered for making the right decision? If so, then consider investing in one of the biggest spaces in your facility by turning it into something transformational, a new DYNAMIK sprung sports floor.w WHAT DYNAMIK CAN DO FOR YOU? DYNAMIK Sport’s portfolio includes sporting and educational establishments around the UK, including the following: Box Hill School; Cheltenham Ladies College; Dulwich College; English Institute of Sport, Sheffield; King’s College School, Cambridge; Loretto School; Merchant Taylors Prep School; St. George’s, Weybridge; University of Oxford. Talk to our technical experts today about how we can transform your facility with a new or upgraded DYNAMIK sprung sports floor. Tel: 0117 301 5120 Email: info@dynamiksport.co.uk More info: www.dynamiksportsfloors.co.uk
Columnist
WHO SAYS?
A New Movement Barry Horne, CEO of the Activity Alliance, gives an update on the ‘Who Says?’ campaign
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HE first phase of our Who Says? campaign concluded recently. What a fantastic six weeks! It’s been a powerful step in our advocacy and influencing work. We’re thankful for all the support so far and it doesn’t end here. I want to use this opportunity to share our initial learning from the campaign. It’s a question many charities ask themselves – how do we know we’re making an impact? Are we sure our messages are resonating? It’s an ongoing challenge when we work with so many people with so many interests and priorities. It’s a lot of people to reach and we can’t do it alone. Our Alliance of members is growing ever stronger and collaboratively, we have lots to offer. When we launched this campaign, we called upon new and existing friends. And you didn’t disappoint. Who says? takes an everyday question for many disabled people and turns it into a powerful proposition. It calls time on negative perceptions and offers ways to rethink and change outdated views. The campaign was created in response to the charity’s recent research, which explored non-disabled people’s attitudes on inclusive activity. The findings show a lack of understanding could be causing long-lasting barriers for disabled people. This can in turn, lead to inactivity. For the least active audience in our country, people’s attitudes can make or break activity experiences. Agilitymagazine | 2
Our 2018-2021 strategy - Achieving Inclusion Together - outlines our desire to be better at influence and advocacy. It’s crucial that we are able to effectively influence stakeholders to collaborate and increase disabled people’s inclusion. The campaign objectives had to match the small-scale budget. For us, it was about sharing better practice in inclusive marketing, promoting Alliance work and engaging audiences. During the first six weeks, we found that this campaign can influence at three levels. For individuals, society and us as an Alliance. One look at the #WhoSays timeline and you’ll see disabled people and supporters posting their experiences. That’s the power of the movement. We were lucky to have comedian and The Last Leg presenter, Adam Hills, involved. He is a keen rugby league player for a physical disability team and advocate for inclusive sport. His messages captured his love for rugby league and team camaraderie. He also made a point about the connection between
Find out more about the ‘Who Says?’ initiative with this fantastic video
mental health and sport funding. Paralympic athlete Jonnie Peacock joined in at the Superhero Tri last month. West Midlands Mayor Andy Street expressed his passion to ensure the region is inclusive for disabled people. Their Include Me programme is engaging disabled people and people with long-term health conditions to be active. Liverpool City Region Mayor, Steve Rotheram, also backed the campaign with his message. We caught up with The Sports Journalists’ Association again, who called for media support through their networks. Active Partnerships and National Governing Bodies backed the campaign too with creative ideas. Who can forget LTA’s film, which busted some of the myths in wheelchair tennis? There is much work still to do if we are to achieve a society that puts disabled people on par with non-disabled people. That’s in all sports and activities. Who says? offers that platform to voice concerns and shout louder through the power of social media. Our thanks go to Sport England for supporting Who says? and the contributors, who featured in the films. We would welcome any feedback from phase one and any ideas for moving into phase two. Whilst we regroup and plan, please continue to use the hashtag. Who says we can’t all play a part in changing perceptions? Who says? will be back!w Agilitymagazine | 3
PARALYMPICS
IRELAND Building towards their Tokyo ‘top-five’ target Agilitymagazine | 36
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N Agility’s first feature focusing on Paralympics Ireland and its athletes, CEO Miriam Malone outlines the organisation’s aims and ambitions ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games…
Are you enjoying the role since your appointment last year? Yes, I am enjoying my role so far. There have been some great events and achievements that have been particular high points. We hosted the World Para Swimming Allianz European Championships in 2018 which was a major undertaking for a country of our size. That event presented some huge challenges that we had to overcome with our small staff group but we did deliver an extremely successful championship. We also published our newest strategic plan this year. Whenever you produce a strategic plan you are aware of the importance of a document of that type as it charts the future path of the sport and we are very much looking forward to implementing that plan over the next six years.
It has also been fantastic to see our incredible Irish athletes deliver some amazing performances against world class fields. We had a particularly great month in August 2018 when Ellen Keane and Nicole Turner delivered medals in the European Swimming championships in Dublin. Just a week later, we saw our athletics team secure nine medals in their European Championships and we also had Katie George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal winning world championship gold in the tandem cycling. What have been your main areas of focus? Producing our strategic plan; ‘Success Takes More’ has been a major focus over the last couple of years. The process involved an extensive consultation process with our various members and stakeholders. The results of that process then had to be collated and distilled down into key themes and trends which lead to the establishment of our aims and objectives for the plan. It has been accomplished and we can now turn our attention to implementing our plans.
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“Jason Smyth has been a great servant to Irish Paralympics and we are very much looking forward to seeing him perform again on the biggest stage in Tokyo.�
What targets do you have for Tokyo 2020? Our target for Tokyo 2020 is to be in the top five in the world in terms of medals per capita. This is an ambitious target but one that I think we can achieve. Jason Smyth is one of the star names of the team who else should we look out for next year? Jason has been a great servant to Irish Paralympics and we are very much looking forward to seeing him perform again on the biggest stage in Tokyo. We do have a strong group that will be competing for Ireland in Tokyo. Our athletics team excelled at the European championships and we hope that they will be able to maintain that level of performance. We also have hopes that our swimmers will be at their best again in the pool. Katie George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal are one of the best tandem cycling pairings in the world and Richie Grimes is showing great form. Elsewhere we will be hoping the likes of table tennis, triathlon and badminton will be sports that can look towards podium finishes.
How does hosting events help to improve athlete performance and raise awareness of para-sports in Ireland? Hosting an event of the size and profile of the World Para Swimming Allianz European Championships was a major boost to the profile of Paralympic sport in Ireland. We welcomed more than 4,000 people to the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre throughout the week of competition. These were 4,000 people that have never had the opportunity to see para athletes of this calibre compete against each other. The Irish media also paid a lot of attention as our athletes competed against some of the best in the world throughout the week. The coverage was excellent across all platforms and people like Ellen Keane and Nicole Turner certainly saw their profiles boosted. However, the most important effect of hosting this competition is that young people with a disability have had a chance to see people like themselves perform at a high level in their own backyard. It has given those young people a visual example of what can be achieved when one sets their mind to it and I think that that is a particularly powerful message.w
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Kidz to Adultz North Thursday 14th November 2019 9.30am - 4.30pm EventCity, Barton Dock Road, Manchester, M17 8AS One of the largest FREE UK events supporting children & young adults up to 25 years with disabilities and additional needs, their families, carers and the professionals who support them.
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Emma Columnist
Wiggs
Jekyll or Hyde? The mind-set and behaviours that underpin performance
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HE recent 2019 - and my seventh - Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships were at the spiritual home of canoeing, Szeged in Hungary. The crowds were like nothing I’ve ever seen before at a canoeing event - loud, passionate and quite simply spectacular! Over 30,000 people cheered a record number of paddlers, over 1,000 athletes from over 200 nations, across five explosive days of racing. These World Championships were what we had all been training for, working towards and focused on for the last three years, round one of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Qualification. There are nine events in Paracanoe at next year’s Games, three more than in Rio, and as a squad we targeted one boat spot in each event so #Project9 was on! I’ve previously written about my disrupted year with injury and as we landed in Budapest I had nervous butterflies, my mind flipping from a calm ‘phew! I’m just relieved and happy to be here’ to ‘this is a World Champs, I’ve always been at my competitive best when I line up…what if?’ It was like Jekyll and Hyde. I knew what I should be saying and feeling and I managed it some of the time but then doubt would creep in as I watched new paddlers emerging and well known faces smashing training sessions, looking honed and race ready. Agilitymagazine | 2
There is usually about three training days before competition starts and these went well, meaning I spent more time in ‘Hyde’ mode. We relaxed as a team in scorching conditions and everyone seemed focused on the job. Racing started for me with heats in both boats, va’a and kayak with six hours between the races. I won the va’a heat but wasn’t happy with the time. The delivery felt good but I obsessed about the time and how close the opposition were. My first mistake. Being outcome focused is never good, it led to using the hours between races to wonder about whether we had got our training wrong. How could the rest of the world be closer than they were in May when I was fitter than I was then etc, etc. The Jekyll mind-set was back. So, as I left my coach and paddled off to warm up for my kayak I pretended to be relaxed and not worried while actually still analysing what on earth we had got wrong and dreading what would happen in the race ahead. Looking back now I firmly believe it was a chronic lack of confidence fuelled by the wrong mind-set that led to these basic errors.
In order to protect my wrist we’d only done two 200m runs in my kayak in the two months leading up to the worlds. I didn’t have my usual winter of hard work behind me to draw on, I didn’t feel like the athlete I was and I didn’t feel competitive or race ready. I know the psychology techniques and the huge part your mind can play in performance and I’ve never gone into a race knowing I would win but always knowing I’d done the hard work and if I deliver what I know I can, the results take care of themselves. Except I didn’t know - all I actually knew was I’d spent six hours telling myself I wasn’t able to deliver. My heat was probably my worst delivery and certainly the worst start of my career. I did however manage to pull it back and win, so you would think ‘Hyde brain’ would say ‘job done, you see you can deliver even when it’s not your best, go and refocus’ but instead my ‘Jekyll’ brain exploded at my coach and support staff with all the worries and negativity I’d been feeling all day. It was going to be a sleepless night ahead if I was going to pull this back in time for the finals. The va’a final was the next day with the kayak final the following morning. I knew I wasn’t being the athlete I wanted to be and I knew it was up to me to listen to the people trying to help me and get myself back on track and deliver two performances I was proud of. I worked with my coach to focus on what we could tweak in our delivery to Agilitymagazine | 3
make it better and I started to feel more confident that if I stuck to my plan I could deliver a competitive 200m. It was about not pretending I was feeling a certain way but thanking my ‘Jekyll’ brain for highlighting their concerns before boxing them up with evidence and answers by listening to the advice, looking at the actual evidence and visualising how I wanted to paddle and focusing on me. I reminded myself I was seven times world champion, I have the experience and technique to deliver and I’ve left no stone unturned in my pursuit of excellence. We did and we not only won the va’a final, qualifying a spot for GB in Tokyo 2020 and setting a new world record and 0.5sec PB! This performance felt like a weight had been lifted, I was more emotional than I’d ever been after the race. We had come back from probably my worst place in terms of mind-set and turned it around to deliver a run that we could be proud of. This freed me up to paddle without fear for the kayak final. Knowing that despite my self-inflicted exhaustion I could deliver the best I had if I just focused on me, paddled without fear and believed. On the start line of the final I felt almost relaxed to have my team-mate and friend in the lane next to me and able to just focus on doing a better start then in the heat then paddle as hard as I could with a mind free from worry. The result? A much better start, a delivery that felt competitive, at least for a bit, a season’s best time by 0.5sec, a silver medal behind my team-mate Charlotte, but most of all a performance that even my ‘Jekyll brain’ is unbelievably proud of. So another world championships ticked off, a huge amount of personal learning and as a British Canoeing squad some incredible medal table-topping performances, PB’s, world records, amazing debuts and we grabbed seven of the nine boat spots for Tokyo. I love the power of sport to change lives and I love the fact that even at my age I am learning more about myself, more about being an athlete and becoming a better person every time I expose myself to challenges and honestly reflect and review. Bring on the winter of hard work! w
Emma Wiggs’ Agility column is supported by Fuel for Sport – ready-to-eat food products aimed at active sports people who want a convenient way to eat a nutritionally balanced meal. For more information head to: www.fuelforsport.co.uk Agilitymagazine | 4
Grassroots News... Forest of Arden to host major event
New cricket base
FOREST OF ARDEN Marriot Hotel & Country Club will host the 2020 World Deaf Golf Championships. The event will take place over nine days from August 7-15 next year and is set to attract more than 120 amateur golfers from 21 nations. The biennial event – which will celebrate its 25th anniversary when it descends on Warwickshire - will see a men’s and a women’s individual champion being crowned. The tournament will also feature a team competition. And the world’s top deaf golfers have much to look forward to. The Forest of Arden is one of Britain’s top resorts. It is home to European Tour golf events and has hosted seven English Opens and five British Masters. The Championships, which are supported by England Golf, aim to
ENGLAND’S disability cricket teams will soon have a new base - with an innovative new inclusive cricket centre to be built in Worcester. The centre, partially funded by the ECB, will be located at the University of Worcester and will provide a home for elite, grassroots and recreational players of all abilities and disabilities. Worcestershire County Cricket Board forecasts an additional 8,000 users will benefit from the centre every year, with a large proportion of these being young children, disabled athletes, women’s squads and students. The centre will also provide an indoor facility for the County Cricket Cub. Ian Martin, ECB Head of Disability Cricket, said: “This is an extremely exciting development bringing together the cricket world’s leading disability programme and the globally acknowledged academic leader in inclusive sport.”
encourage the sport of golf among golfers who are deaf or hard of hearing. Chair of the Local Organising Committee Lucy Crickmore explained: “We are thrilled to welcome back the World Deaf Golf Championships for the second time to England. We are looking forward to showcasing the talent of world deaf golf on the stunning Arden Course.
Visually impaired students’ goalball masterclass The conclusion of the three days saw competitive games in front of parents and Goalball UK staff. The summer camp was part of Goalball UK’s National Schools Programme, which launched late last year with a grant of nearly £100,000 from Children in Need. The initiative delivers afterschool goalball activities and competitive opportunities to blind, partially sighted and disadvantaged children and young people.
A group of 10 to 16-year-olds, with a range of visual impairments, gathered in Hereford to undertake a masterclass in the Paralympic sport of goalball. The youngsters attended Goalball UK’s summer camp at RNC in Hereford for three days to develop skills for both on and off the court. The camp was supported by volunteers from Winchester and RNC goalball clubs and the players received expert coaching from Great Britain star Kali Holder.
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