13 June 2008

ParalympicsGB today received nominations from UK Athletics for thirty-six athletes for the British team at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.

Following two incredibly successful years of international competition, wheelchair racers David Weir from Wallington and Shelly Woods (Blackpool & Fylde),  look set to contest nine events between them in Beijing including the marathon distance.

David Weir and visually impaired athlete Tracey Hinton were the first British athletes to compete in the infamous Bird’s Nest stadium at the Beijing Open Test event last month. Tracey Hinton will be competing in her fifth Paralympic Games, aiming to add to her collection of six medals.

Britain’s four returning Paralympic Champions could be bidding for more glory in Beijing; Kenny Churchill (Durham AC), Danny Crates (Thurrock Harriers), Daniel Greaves (Loughborough Students) and Stephen Miller (Gateshead Harriers).

Eight talented junior athletes will potentially be making their Paralympic debut with their sights set on London 2012:

Hollie Arnold, 13 (Cleethorpes AC), Rebecca Chin, 16 (Deeside/ FDSW), Katharine Deal, 16 (Shaftesbury Barnet), Jenny McLoughlin, 16 (FDSW), Mickey Bushell, 18 (Birchfield Harriers), Libby Clegg, 18 (Border Harriers/ Edinburgh AC), Ian Jones, 18 (East Cheshire) and Katrina Hart, 18 (Birchfield Harriers).

UK Athletics Director of Disability, Tim Jones said:

“We are pleased to be able to nominate such a strong team for Beijing, which is a real blend of both youth and experience. Over half of the nominated team are set to make their debut at the Paralympic Games, in particular 8 of the 14 female athletes. As we look beyond Beijing, the ability to nurture athletes who will be able to perform in London is of paramount importance. Having the ability to expose some of these athletes in Beijing will provide them with a fantastic learning experience.

“UK Athletics set some tough qualifying standards to ensure a high quality team, and it is testament to the determination and talent of our athletes that these were achieved and exceeded.

“It is important that a large majority of the travelling team is capable of winning medals, and we are confident that this will be the case in Beijing. We all know that the Paralympics will be the real test, but we believe the ParalympicsGB athletics team is exceptionally well prepared for the challenge ahead.”

ParalympicsGB Chief Executive and Chef De Mission for Beijing, Phil Lane, said: “With the tough qualification standards set by UK Athletics it is fantastic to see so many talented youngsters among this nominated squad for Beijing, who will no doubt be exciting prospects in London in 2012.

“I am also delighted that there are so many Paralympic and world championship medallists among this squad, which puts us in good stead ahead of this summer’s Games.”

The Athletics squad nominated to ParalympicsGB comprises:

Men

Brian Alldis (St Edmunds Pacers) T54 800m, 1500m, 5000m, Marathon
Lives: Bury St Edmunds

Graeme Ballard (Chorley AC) T36 100m, 200m, 400m

Lives: Chorley

Mickey Bushell (Birchfield Harriers) T53 100m, 200m

Lives: Telford

Kenny Churchill (Durham AC) F37 Javelin

Lives: Loughborough

Michael Churm (Chorley AC) T37 100m, 200m

Lives: Manchester

Danny Crates (Thurrock Harriers) T46 800m

Lives: Heybridge, Essex

Martin Crutchley (Cannock & Stafford) F38 Shot

Lives: Walsall, West Midlands

Neil Fachie (Aberdeen AAC) T13 100m, 200m

Lives: Aberdeen

David Gale (British Wheelchair AA) F51 Discus

Lives: Southport

Danny Greaves (Loughborough Students) F44 Discus

Lives: Leicester

Ian Jones (East Cheshire) T44 200m, 400m

Lives: Manchester

Chris Martin (Mansfield Harriers) F33 Discus

Lives: Mansfield

John McFall (Unattached) T42 100m,

Lives: Cardiff

Stephen Miller (Gateshead Harriers) F32 Club, Discus
Lives: Cramlington

Kieron Murphy (Birchfield Harriers) F32 Club

Lives: Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands

Daniel Nobbs (British Wheelchair AA) F54 Shot

Lives: Norwich

Stephen Payton (Unattached) T38 200m, 400m
Lives: South Shields

Ben Rushgrove (City of Bath AC) T36 100m, 200m

Lives: Bath

Richard Schabel (British Wheelchair AA) F51 Club, Discus

Lives, East Grinstead, West Sussex

Nathan Stephens (FDSW) F57 Shot, Discus, Javelin

Lives: Bridgend

Dave Weir (Unattached) T54 400m, 800m 1500m, 5000m, Marathon

Lives: Wallington, Surrey

Danny West (Cambridge & Coleridge/ Notts AC) F34 Discus, Shot

Lives: Nottingham

Women

Hollie Arnold (Cleethorpes Athletics Club) F46 Javelin

Lives: Grimsby

Rebecca Chin (FDSW / Deeside AC) F44 Shot, Discus

Lives: Deganwy, North Wales

Elizabeth Clegg (Border Harriers AC/ Edinburgh AC) T12 100m, 200m

Lives: Newcastleton

Katherine Deal (Shaftesbury Barnet) T13 400m, 800m, 1500m

Lives: St Albans

Sophie Hancock (Horwich Harriers) F40 Shot, Discus

Lives: Loughborough

Katrina Hart (Birchfield Harriers) T37 100m, 200m

Lives: Redditch

Tracey Hinton (Cardiff AAC/ British Blind Sport) T11 100m, 200m, 400m

Lives: Cardiff

Beverley Jones (Gloucester AC/ Deeside AAC) F37 Shot, Discus

Lives: Deeside

Jenny McLoughlin * (FDSW) F37 100, 200m

Lives: Chepstow

Kim Minett (City of Portsmouth) F40 Shot

Lives: Fareham

Gemma Prescott (Challenge Disability Sports) F32 Shot, Discus

Lives: Loughborough

Hazel Simpson (Jarrow & Hepburn) T36 100m, 200m

Lives: Washington

Claire Williams (Carmarthen Harriers) F12 Discus             

Lives: Loughborough

Shelly Woods (Blackpool & Fylde) T54 800m, 1500m, 5000m, Marathon

Lives: Blackpool

* Final addition to the team – announced on Tuesday 17 June.

The Paralympic classification for athletics is as follows;

F is for Field athlete

T is for Track athlete

The number refers to the functional classification:

T/F 11-13 Visual Impairment

T/F 31-38 Cerebral Palsy

T 41-46 / F 40-46 Amputees and Les Autres

T51-54 Wheelchair Racers

F51-58 Seated Field athletes

For further information from UK Athletics or to request an interview please contact Hannah Hore, Team Media Officer for the Paralympics on 0121 713 8401 or 07917 424 566 or e-mail hhore@ukathletics.org.uk

For further information about ParalympicsGB, please contact Sian Davies in the Press Office on 0207 211 5240 or 07721 892686 or by email at sian.davies@paralympics.org.uk. For news updates visit the BPA website at www.paralympics.org.uk