Paralympic News

Paralympic champion Brown qualifies for Delhi

Brown thought to be first Paralympian to compete for England in able-bodied event at the Games

A twelve-person archery team featuring Paralympic gold medallist Danielle Brown has been named to represent England at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi after a two day selection shoot was held over the weekend of the 19th and 20th June at the Meriden Archery Club near Coventry.
 
Danielle Brown, the 2008 Paralympic open individual compound gold medallist, finished second in the women’s compound match behind Nicky Hunt to claim a place in the England team – believed to be the first Paralympian to compete for England in an able-bodied event at the Games.

“This is an outstanding achievement and we are absolutely delighted for Danielle”, said Phil Lane, Chief Executive of ParalympicsGB. “Danielle’s selection shows what an excellent athlete she is and demonstrates the high standard of performance required to compete at world class level at both the Paralympic and Commonwealth Games.”

 

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Whiley wins French Open

British No 2 Jordanne Whiley sealed a comfortable victory in the women's  singles final at the French Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships Antony, Paris, while on Saturday as compatriot Lucy Shuker saw her women's main draw singles challenge come to an end in the semi-finals.
 
After a first round loss to World No. 7 Jiske Griffioen of the Netherlands, 18-year-old Whiley wrapped up the draw with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Chile's Francisca Mardones.

 

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Kent to host World Volleyball warm-up event

The Kent International Sitting Volleyball Tournament is being from 3rd to 6th July in Kent, as a warm-up event before the World Championships in Oklahoma, USA.

Members of the public are invited to come along and see some international standard sport on Monday 5th July at the Sports Centre, University of Kent Canterbury campus.
 
The event will commence at 11:30 a.m.

The Tournament will include:

Men’s tournament: GB, Wales, Kenya and a team from Battle Back

Women’s tournament: GB, Hungary, Kenya and Shanghai

Approximately 200 Kent School children there on the day to support the teams and learn about the sport.

Sitting Volleyball is a version of Volleyball that has been adapted to allow anyone to participate including those with a disability. To play at an International level there are certain classification requirements the need to be met in terms of disabilities.

 

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Work begins on wheelchair tennis venue for London 2012

Construction is now underway on the historic Eton Manor site, which will host the wheelchair tennis during the Paralympics, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has today announced.

 

Eton Manor is a key Paralympic venue that will also deliver essential training facilities for athletes during the Olympic Games and first-class new sports and leisure facilities in legacy. Initial ground work started in the spring and work is now underway on building the permanent sporting facilities, with the foundations due to be completed by the end of the summer.
John Armitt, chairman of the ODA, said: "The start of work on Eton Manor is a significant milestone, the start of construction on the last permanent venue on the Olympic Park.

 

"Eton Manor will play a key role throughout the Games and leave behind a permanent facility which will benefit the local community for years to come."

During the Olympics, Eton Manor will be an aquatics training venue, housing three Olympic-size temporary swimming pools, a temporary synchronised swimming pool and a temporary water polo pool.

During the Paralympic Games, it will host the wheelchair tennis competitions with temporary seating for 10,500 spectators.

 

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Government Minister inspired by World Championships

Secretary of State, Jeremy Hunt today boosted Great Britain’s build-up to the World Wheelchair Basketball Championships with a visit to their pre-tournament warm up.

 

The Minister for Culture, Media and Sport watched training at Birmingham ahead of the FSB World Championship Wheelchair Basketball Challenge at the Community Hall, National Indoor Arena, Birmingham.

 

And the MP also spoke at length to two teenager in the women’s team, 15-year-old Maddie Thompson from Castleton, Derbyshire, who is an amputee, and Frances Ray, 16, from Wolverhampton, who was involved in a car accident when she was eight-years-old.

 

Endorsing the World Championships, the Minister said, "This event is hugely important. I was the [Shadow] Cabinet Minister for Disabled People before I took on the Culture, Media and Sport brief so it’s always been something that has been very close to my heart.

 

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