Golden generation looking to cement its place in Paralympics history
The confirmation of a record 38 Welsh sportsmen and
women to ParalympicsGB will give our athletes the chance to show
they are 'Wales' golden generation in world disability sport', says
Sport Wales Chair Professor Laura McAllister.
Following today's final ParalympicsGB squad
announcement of athletics - which features a staggering 13 Welsh
stars - Chief Executive of Disability Sport Wales (DSW), Jon Morgan
commented:
"I am delighted for the Welsh athletes who have been
selected for ParalympicsGB. Their selection is richly
deserved reflecting years of hard work and dedication in their
sport. I must also pay tribute to their coaches and support staff,
who have worked so tirelessly to ensure that they can be in the
very best shape as we head toward the Games. Wales has a fine
history of developing world-class Paralympians and London 2012 will
continue that trend. I have no doubt that as a nation we will now
get behind all of our Welsh athletes and indeed the whole of the
ParalympicsGB team in what will be an incredible
Games."
At the Paralympics, 38 athletes from Wales will
compete across 13 sports from wheelchair rugby to archery and
sailing, with 19 making their Games debuts.
A host of Welsh Paralympic gold medal winners, world
champions and world record holders have been selected to represent
Great Britain. They include Nathan Stephens (F57 javelin world
champion), Liz Johnson (Beijing gold in SB6 100m breaststroke) and
Nyree Kindred (three Paralympic Games - nine medals - two gold,
four silver, three bronze).
Sport Wales' Elite Sport Strategy (2012-16),
developed with Disability Sport Wales, has set Welsh athletes
targets to win a total of thirty Paralympic medals across the 2012
and 2016 Games, with a stretch target of forty Paralympic
medals.
Wales is also aspiring to be the leading contributor
of GB medals among the home nations based on medals per head of
population. Targets that Professor McAllister thinks can be reached
by such a talented group. She said:
"Wherever I go in the UK or beyond I speak to people in
sport about our success and standing in the world of disability
sport. The successes we've achieved in recent years are something
Wales should be rightly proud of.
"Make no mistake that to be selected to such a strong
British team is a fabulous achievement in itself for our
athletes. But we are ambitious and we want to be the best we
can be and win medals as we did in Beijing.
"If ever there was an example of creating a nation of
champions then you only need to look at this fantastic group. They
are Wales' golden generation in world disability sport and they are
helping to inspire young people as we look to get every child
hooked on sport for life. I can't wait to see them in action and
wish them every success."
At the Paralympics in Sydney, in 2000, Wales had 17
Welsh competitors in the ParalympicsGB team, 24 in Athens and 31 in
Beijing.
And at the Beijing Paralympics, within a total of 1,431
medals, the fourteen won by
Wales(ten golds, three silvers and one
bronze) would have put Wales at the top of the medal table on the
basis of population.
Anthony Hughes, Disability Sport Wales' Performance
Manager, has had a major role in identifying many of the athletes
and bringing them through the renowned DSW Academy. He
said:
"Our Welsh athletes bring a fascinating mix of
experience and youth to the ParalympicsGB Team and we have
high hopes for their success at the Games. They also make up
13% of the British team, an amazing achievement, reflecting the
strength of disability sport in Wales and the investment that has
been made through our Academy during the last cycle, which has in
itself supported 23 of the selected athletes.
"I am certain that as the Games close we will have good
reason to smile and feel extremely proud of what the athletes will
have achieved."
In Beijing it was Simon Richardson (cycling) who won
the first race contested in the Paralympic Games, starting the gold
rush for Great Britain. Wales is hoping that in London 2012 it will
once again be Welsh athletes who lead the charge for the
podium.
Athlete Aled Sion Davies said;
"As a first time Paralympian this is without a doubt a
dream come true. I have been training for seven long years for this
moment. Believe me when I say, I will make Wales, Britain, my
family and friends proud in London come September."
Quick Stats
- Thirty-eight Welsh Athletes have been selected for
the Paralympics GB Team for the London Paralympic
Games.
- This is the largest contingent of Welsh athletes to
have been selected, exceeding the 2008 Beijing total of 31. The
target that was set in October 2008 was 36.
- 19 are first-time Paralympians.
- Comparable countries, New Zealand and Finland have
selected 26 & 32 athletes respectively to the London 2012
Paralympic Games. Belgium, with a population of 10million, has
selected a team 39 athletes.
Wales on ParalympicsGB athletics team
MEN
Aled Davies (Anthony Hughes): F42 shot putt/discus
(age: 21; born: Bridgend; lives: Cardiff);
Kyron Duke (Anthony Hughes): F40 javelin/shot putt
(age: 19; born: Newport; lives: Cwmbran);
Jordan Howe (Jane Coia): T35 100/200m (age: 16;
born: Cardiff; lives: Cardiff);
Rhys Jones (Jane Coia): T37 100/200m (age: 18; born:
Pontypridd; lives: Tonypandy);
Steve Morris (Chris Moss): T20
1500m;
Nathan Stephens (Anthony Hughes): F57 javelin and
discuss (age: 24; born: Cardiff; lives: Cardiff);
Steffan Hughes (guide runner to Tracey Hinton - see
below. From: Carmarthen.
WOMEN
Olivia Breen (Leroy Elliott): T38 100/200/4x100m
relay (age: 16)
Tracey Hinton (Darrell Maynard): T11 100/200m; (age:
42)
Bev Jones (John Parker): F37 discus/shot putt (age:
37; born: Mancot; lives: Shotton);
Jenny McLoughlin (Darrell Maynard): T37
100/200/4x100m relay (age: 20: born: Stockport; lives:
Chepstow);
Josie Pearson (Anthony Hughes): F51 discus/club
throw; (age: 26)
Claire Williams (Jim Edwards): F12 discus; (age: 24;
lives: Loughborough)
Other selected athletes for ParalympicsGB
Pippa Britton - Archery
Jacob Thomas - Boccia (Mike Thomas - Boccia- athlete suport)
Mark Colbourne - Cycling
Rachel Morris - Cycling
Keryn Seal - Football
Darren Harris - Football
Sam Scowen - Rowing
Steve Thomas - Sailing
Liz Johnson - Swimming
Nyree Kindred -Swimming
Rhiannon Henry - Swimming
Morgyn Peters - Swimming
Rob Davies -Table Tennis
Paul Davies -Table Tennis
Sara Head - Table Tennis
Paul Karabardak - Table Tennis
Scott Robertson - Table Tennis
Sam Bowen - Sitting Volleyball
Jess O'Brien - Sitting Volleyball
James Roberts - Sitting Volleyball
Amy Brierly - Sitting Volleyball
Sam Scott - Sitting Volleyball
Claire Strange - Wheelchair Basketball
David Anthony - Wheelchair Rugby
Gemma Collis - Wheelchair Fencing