Paralympic News

Shuker Wins Women of Achievement Award

Britain's number one wheelchair tennis player Lucy Shuker has been named the Vitalise Woman of Achievement 2011. 

 

Lucy collected the award from disability charity Vitalise in recognition of her achievements in the world of disabled sport.

 

The world No.10 in singles and doubles has won the Slovakia Open and Tennis Canada International Championships singles titles this year as well as the Hilton Head doubles title with British No.3 Louise Hunt. 

 

The 31-year-old from Fleet in Hampshire has been in a wheelchair since a motorbike accident in 2001 which left her paralysed from the chest down. 

 

She has gone on to reach the final at the inaugural women�s wheelchair doubles event at Wimbledon in 2010 and competed for Great Britain in the Beijing Paralympics in 2008. 

 

Pauline Edden, Board Director of the Vitalise Woman of the Year Awards, said: "Lucy really stood out from all the candidates for her incredible achievements over the past year.

 

"Women face many obstacles in their struggle to excel, but the barriers Lucy has had to overcome to become Britain's best wheelchair tennis player are a lesson to us all. She has proved that if we never give up pursuing our dreams, we can achieve anything." 

 

Lucy said, �I feel so fortunate that despite my accident and the difficulties that come hand in hand with that, I love life, and wheelchair tennis has become such a huge part of my life. 

 

�I�m lucky because I get to travel and compete all over the world and have had some amazing experiences including playing at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics and at Wimbledon. 

 

�But I wouldn�t be able to do any of this without the support of my friends and family, the Tennis Foundation, UK Sport and the National Lottery.� 

 

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GB Boccia success in CPISRA Europa Cup

GB Boccia produced a terrific display at the CPISRA Boccia Europa Cup in Hamar, Norway to finish with four medals, including two golds.

 

A squad of seven travelled to the competition which was the last opportunity for athletes to improve their world rankings and qualify for the individual events at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

 

David Smith was GB’s sole representative in the BC1 classification. Having won his event in the GB Boccia Championships the previous weekend he went through the competition unbeaten to win gold. It was a tremendous display of class and control as he added to his European title from 2009. He will go to London as a genuine medal prospect in the individual event and a key member of the BC1/BC2 team looking to retain their title.

 

Dan Bentley bounced back from a disappointing World Cup with victory in the BC2 classification. In the absence of the unassailable world number 1 Nigel Murray he played consistent Boccia to come out on top of a field including World Cup winner Abilio Valente of Portugal. In the semi final he overcame Robert Mezik of Slovakia who he had lost to in the pool stage of the World Cup in Belfast earlier in the year. In the final he beat another Slovakian, Thomas Kral, avenging his last 16 defeat at the World Championships in 2010. Scotland’s Joshua Rowe made his major international debut for GB and also recorded his maiden victory in a promising display from the GB Boccia Championships finalist.

 

In the BC3 classification for athletes that use an assistive device, Jacob Thomas of Wales and Scott McCowan of Scotland continued their meteoric rise and both will hope to have qualified for the individual events at London 2012 once the new rankings are announced. Both fell to Ireland’s Johnny Cronin, McCowan in the quarters and Thomas in the Semis. A final position of 4th for Thomas cemented a fantastic year where he finished 5th at the World Cup at his first major international. McCowan finished just behind him in 5th place.

 

Scottish brothers Stephen and Peter McGuire met at the semi final stage in the BC4 classification having contested the GB Boccia Championships final the weekend before. Stephen won through and picked up the silver medal after a close game with Jose Maria Dueso of Spain. Peter won the bronze and denied the strong Portuguese team their only hope of a medal with victory over Domingos Vieira, the World Cup bronze medallist. After the disappointment of missing out on Beijing by the narrowest of margins the McGuire’s will be looking to make a big impression in London.

 

The GB Boccia team for the CPISRA Europa Cup, held between the 29th and 31st October 2011  in Hamar, Norway, was as follows:

BC1 – David Smith (Eastleigh, Hants)
BC2 – Dan Bentley (Great Dunmow, Essex)
BC2 – Joshua Rowe (Crieff, Perthshire)
BC3 – Jacob Thomas (Narbeth, Pembrokeshire)
BC3 – Scott McCowan (Dundonald, Ayrshire)
BC4 – Stephen McGuire (Hamilton, South Lanarkshire)
BC4 – Peter McGuire (Hamilton, South Lanarkshire)

 

For more information on Boccia please visit www.gb-boccia.org

 

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