Tag Archives: Paralympic

Paralympics rowing champion, Grace Clough, honoured as ‘Sheffield Legend’

Rio gold medal winner Grace Clough is the 20th person to receive a Sheffield Legends star on the Walk of Fame pavement outside the Town Hall. Grace, age 25, is a former High Storrs pupil and won Paralympic gold in the mixed coxed fours rowing competition. Born with a condition called Erb’s Palsy, where nerves in the shoulder are damaged during birth, Grace only took up rowing in 2013 after attending an event to promote disability sport at the English Institute of Sport. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!

GB Para Table Tennis team prepare for Euro’s

The European Championships, which are taking place in Denmark next week, will be the final major event before the 2016 Paralympic games, where athletes can directly qualify for Rio. Some of the athletes, including men’s class seven world champion Will Bayley, were training at the English Institute of Sport this week.

Sheffield Boccia club’s award joy

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Karen Codling and Charlotte Faulkner receive the award on behalf of the Sheffield Smashers club

Karen Codling and Charlotte Faulkner receive the award on behalf of the Sheffield Smashers club

A Sheffield Boccia club has been awarded the top level club accreditation after only two years.

The Sheffield Smashers club, based at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, is now a level two accredited club by Boccia England, allowing them access to national funding.

Thanks to this success, the club can now apply to Boccia England to help one of their coaches gain a national coaching award.

To achieve the accreditation, the Sheffield Smashers have consistently demonstrated a high level of development and practice in all aspects of the sport.

Boccia, pronounced Bot-cha, is a Paralympic sport similar to bowls, created for people with disabilities affecting their motor functions. Athletes compete alone or as part of a team to throw, kick or use a ramp to launch a ball to get as close as possible to the ‘jack’.

Marc Scott, club development officer for Boccia, said: “The Sheffield Smashers have put in a lot of work and dedicated hours to achieve all the criteria needed, so congratulations to them. I’m looking forward to working with them in the future to develop the club even more.”

Michelle Hayden, development manager for South Yorkshire Sport, said: “It’s great to see such a worthy club getting recognised by the national association. It’s inspiring to see the members work so hard to achieve something they more than deserve and we hope it will encourage more disabled people to take part in such a fantastic sport.”

For more information about The Sheffield Smashers and to find out how you can get involved with the sport of Boccia, visit www.sheffieldsmashersboc.com or www.gb-boccia.org.