icScotland - Team looks to follow Super Saturday
icScotland logo
icScotland News Sport icHomes
Search icScotland for:
Today's UK news
News  UK  Today's UK news  Article

Team looks to follow Super Saturday

04:05, Sep 2 2012

 

Britain's Paralympians will be bidding to build on Super Saturday's success as they continue their gold medal charge.

Among those gunning for glory is the "Quadfather" Peter Norfolk, who starts his campaign for gold in the wheelchair tennis. Norfolk, 51, had a motorcycle accident in 1979 which left him with a spinal cord injury at T4/5 level.

He won gold in the quad singles in Athens and Beijing and will be hoping to make it a hat-trick this week. He also has two quad doubles Paralympics medals, a silver from Athens and a bronze from Beijing. Norfolk, from Hampshire, gets his campaign under way against Japan's Mitsuteru Moroishi.

Meanwhile at Eton Dorney, former Army captain Nick Beighton will be going for gold in the mixed double scull event. Beighton, 30, will take to the start line just three years after losing his legs in a devastating Taliban bomb blast.

He was on a reconnaissance foot patrol in Helmand in October 2009 when he trod on an improvised explosive device. Beighton, from Shrewsbury, needed 36 pints in blood transfusions and will mark his incredible recovery by competing in the mixed adaptive rowing sculls final with Samantha Scowen.

Also appearing at Eton Dorney is single sculls reigning Paralympic and world champion Tom Aggar. The 28-year-old, who is paralysed from the waist down after an accident in 2005, is unbeaten in five years and cruised to victory in Friday's heat.

Their appearances come after a stunning day for ParalympicsGB, which saw golds in swimming, cycling and equestrian events. Teenager Ellie Simmonds retained her crown as queen of the pool as she set a blistering pace to smash the world record and snatch gold in the 400m freestyle event. Simmonds, 17, had the Aquatics Centre in raptures as she touched home ahead of rival Victoria Arlen in a pulsating race.

Richard Whitehead powered back from way down the field to take gold in the T24 200m in world record time. Whitehead, 36, from Nottingham, dedicated the win to his family, including pregnant fiancee Valerie Davies. He even had time for a "two-gun salute" and flexed his biceps as he crossed the finish line.

Golden couple Sarah and Barney Storey both won golds in their respective events in the Velodrome and Natasha Baker became the first to win a gold medal in the equestrian event at Greenwich Park.

Britain has so far notched up a total of 36 medals, comprising nine gold, 16 silver and 11 bronze.

 
Thousands run final marathon mile
48 rescued as boat runs aground
Father's hope for missing daughter
Nine-year-old boy admits burglary
Wall of flowers for slain soldier
Three arrested ahead of EDL march
Child abduction cases up by 81%
Travellers escape UK's cold spring
Two questioned over mid-air 'fight'
Tiger death zoo keeper 'broke rule'
Investigators probe jet emergency
Murder provokes backlash across UK
Man charged with child sex offences
MI5 'tried to recruit suspect'
Police on alert for EDL parade
Family tribute to murdered soldier
Two held in hospital gun alert
Zoo worker mauled by tiger dies
Man, 31, held in terror arrest
Warning flags on flagship projects
Top Top

Back Back

E-mail this article to a friend

Printable VersionPrintable version

 
News  UK  Today's UK news  Article
 


Copyright and Trade Mark Notice
© owned by or licensed to Scottish & Universal Newspapers Limited 2013.
icScotland™ is a trade mark of Scottish & Universal Newspapers Limited.
Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statement before using this site.

 
Advertisements
 
Jobs in Scotland: