British call-ups for 14 Para Juniors
Fourteen athletes have been selected for the inaugural World Para Athletics Junior Championships in Nottwil, Switzerland to be held between Thursday 3 and Sunday 6 August 2017.
The championship offers an opportunity for developing athletes who are on the pathway towards individual medal success at a future senior world championships or Paralympic Games.
In the wheelchair racing events, under 20 athlete Jack Agnew (coach: Heather Ardis) is one of the key athletes to watch out for. He will compete across a series of T54 events; the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m. The Northern Irish athlete has lowered his personal bests in all of these events except the 200m so far in 2017, so he will be one of the in-form athletes competing in the Swiss town.
He is joined by two further wheelchair racers; U20 Craig Boardman (Paul Smith) and U18 Eden Rainbow-Cooper (Jenny Archer). The former has been rapidly improving, and enjoyed a successful Swiss series recently. The latter has been studying exams lately, but did achieve victory at the Westminster mile event last month.
British Athletics Parallel Success Event Academy athlete Amar Aichoun (Jeffrey Lawal-Balogun) and Amy Carr (Rick Betts) wrap up the quartet of under 20 age-group athletes representing the British team, competing in the T38 100m & 200m, and T37 100m, 200m & long jump respectively.
There are a host of U18 athletes including the youngest member on the team, 14 year-old Simran Kaur (Nick Harris), who competes in the women’s T46 100m and 200m, as well as Charnwood’s Luke Nuttall (Vince Wilson / Alison Wyeth) who takes on the men’s T46 1500m.
Para Athletics Head Coach, Paula Dunn, commented on the team selection:
“The World Para Athletics Junior Championships provides a valuable opportunity for our talented young athletes to gain experience in the major games environment. I have no doubt that the 14 athletes selected will use this championship wisely and hopefully learn plenty from it.
“This is an important part in the development pathway for these athletes as we build towards the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2020. For many, this will be their first appearance in a British vest, and it will be crucial as we progress over the next few years.”
British Athletics Para Junior Team for the World Para Athletics Junior Championships in Nottwil, Switzerland between Thursday 3 and Sunday 6 August 2017:
Under 18
Karim Chan (Femi Akinsanya) – T20 Long Jump
Simran Kaur (Nick Harris) – T46 100m and 200m
Molly Kingsbury (Ben Davies) – T37 Long Jump and 100m
Ethan Kirby (Michael Swift) – T20 400m
Luke Nuttall (Vince Wilson / Alison Wyeth) – T46 1500m
Esme O’Connell (Ian Roberts / Dan Hopper) – T20 Long Jump
Eden Rainbow-Cooper (Jenny Archer) – T54 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m
Jayden Saberton (Lee Walker) – T37 100m and 200m
Daphne Schrager (Alan Richardson / Rob Ellchuk) – T35 100m and 200m
Eve Walsh-Dann (Roger Sexton) – T36 100m and 200m
Under 20
Jack Agnew (Heather Ardis) – T54 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m
Amar Aichoun (Jeffrey Lawal-Balogun) – T38 100m and 200m
Craig Boardman (Paul Smith) – T34 100m, 200m and 400m
Amy Carr (Rick Betts) – T37 100m, 200m and Long Jump
