Tag: Paralympics

Kadeena Cox’s coaching chain awarded top accolade

The coaches of GB Paralympian Kadeena Cox MBE have won The Coaching Chain award and will receive their accolade at this year’s UK Coaching Awards on Tuesday 7 December.

Further award winners on the night include the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Richard Brickley and Mussabini Medallists – coaches who supported their athletes to gold medals at this year’s Tokyo Games.

Kadeena Cox’s coaching chain has been recognised for their tremendous impact on her journey to success. The award signifies and celebrates the importance of progressive person-centred coaching and the continuous dedicated support and time invested in athletes throughout their careers.

The coaches behind the growth and development of multi-medallist Cox, who is currently starring in ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’ are Tom Hodgkinson, Joe McDonnell, Jon Norfolk MBE, Brian Scobie, Sue Bowles, John Westerman and Nathan Wells.

Leeds-born Kadeena’s journey into athletics started when her school hockey coach, Sue Bowles, suggested she tried sprinting after noticing her greatest asset was her speed. After success on the track with athletics coaches John Westerman, Brian Scobie and strength and conditioning coach, Nathan Wells, Cox was diagnosed with the lifelong condition of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Just two years after her diagnosis, Paralympic Head Coach for GB Cycling Jon Norfolk MBE supported Cox to achieve an incredible feat when she became the first British Paralympian in 32 years to win gold medals in different sports at a single Games at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.

With the help of sprints coach, Joe McDonnell and British Cycling’s Paralympic Programme coach Tom Hodgkinson, Cox followed this success at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, retaining her C4-5 time trial gold medal and adding further gold in the mixed team sprint C1–5.

Discussing Cox’s achievements, her school hockey coach, Sue Bowles said: “Kadeena is a huge role model to young and old that no matter what obstacles come to you in life, you can still achieve your goals with determination and positivity.

“Kadeena – I cannot tell you how proud I am of you. You totally deserve everything you have achieved and I feel privileged to have played a small part in your incredible journey.”

Tom Hodgkinson, her cycling coach added: “Medals define the champion to the public. However, the great champions are defined by not only what they win but how they take people with them, which Kadeena does more often than anyone else I work with.

“Kadeena has the highest performance behaviours and expectations of her team and her performance. This level is met with her own personal behaviours which make you want to do more for Kadeena, with her unwavering care to check in with her team outside of the sessions that everyone is OK personally, looking after her family, gifting presents to my twins on their birthdays and Christmas, and when times are tough the ability to keep perspective beyond the now and into the future whilst keeping a smile on her face.”

The Coaching Chain category has become one of the highlights of the UK Coaching Awards. Recent winners have included the coaches behind Three Lions superstar Marcus Rashford, Cricket World Cup winner Ben Stokes, Olympic sailing gold medallist Hannah Mills, Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas, Scotland rugby union full-back Stuart Hogg and Olympic hockey gold medallist Kate Richardson-Walsh.

The UK Coaching Awards showcases the diverse work of coaches, projects and organisations, making a huge difference to the health and happiness of the nation – especially against the backdrop of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Along with Cox’s coaching chain to receive accolades on the night will include the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Richard Brickley. 

Richard is to be recognised for his outstanding service to participants with disabilities having worked for over 40 years to give disabled people the best possible experience in sport and physical activity.

His dedication to creating a culture of inclusion within sport led him to become the inaugural chair of the UK Coaching Learning and Leadership Group, which was formed in 2007 acting as an advisory group to help embed inclusive practices throughout coaching across the UK. 

Reflecting on his award, Richard said: “I am thrilled to receive the UK Coaching Lifetime Achievement Award but at the same time recognise that there are so many others who could equally claim the right to be here.

“Being able to influence the physical activity behaviours of so many participants with physical, sensory, or learning disabilities of all levels of ability over so many years is undoubtedly high up on the list of proudest moments.

“As a member of the Scottish Disability Sport education and coaching tutor team, to be involved in so many projects and programmes that have changed lives – it fills me with enormous satisfaction and pride.”

Coaches of gold medallists at the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, will receive a special accolade of the Mussabini Medal – named after Scipio Africanus Mussabini (Sam), widely recognised as a pioneer of modern sports coaching.

Between the 1908 and 1928 Games, Sam coached athletes to 11 Olympic medals, including five Golds. The tradition of awarding medals in Sam’s name dates back to the very start of the UK Coaching Awards. 

Coaches to receive a Mussabini Medal include:

Adam ElliottTriathlon
Alex Pinniger Swimming 
Andrew PinkCycling
Angela WeissEquestrian
Ben BrightTriathlon
Bradley HaySwimming 
Chris BartleEquestrian
Colin RadmoreCanoeing
Dan HenchyCycling
Darren Matthews Wheelchair Rugby
David Turner Athletics
Glynn TromansBoccia
Graeme Smith  Swimming 
Graham RavenscroftAthletics
Iain Dyer Cycling
Ian JohnsJudo
Ian MitchellTriathlon
Jacquie MarshallSwimming 
Jan Bartu Pentathlon
Jane FigueiredoDiving
Jenni BanksAthletics
Joe McDonnell Athletics
John HewittCycling
Lee PullenBoxing
Marco Quattrini Pentathlon
Marcus Bloomfield BMX Racing 
Matthew LawrenceCanoeing
Melanie Marshall MBESwimming 
Monica GreenwoodCycling
Nelson Lindsay MBESwimming 
Nick BakerRowing
Nina Venables Equestrian
Paul ShawWheelchair Rugby
Peter RomeFencing
Rich King Cycling
Rikki Bingham Archery
Ritchie BarberSwimming 
Rob Tarr Wheelchair Rugby
Robin ArmayanSwimming 
Robin BrewTriathlon
Ryan Spencer JonesAthletics
Scott Hann MBEGymnastics
Scott PollockCycling
Steve Doig Athletics
Steven TiggSwimming 
Tim Millett  Swimming 
Tom DysonRowing
Tom HodgkinsonCycling

To book your tickets or a spot on the free livestream, head to:  www.ukcoaching.org/events/our-awards.

Edinburgh’s Scott Quin aims for back-to-back Paralympic medals

After winning a silver medal for Team GB at Rio in 2016, Edinburgh-based para-swimmer Scott Quin hopes to double his medal tally this summer in Tokyo.

Scott has been sponsored by national rail contractor, QTS Group, throughout the last five years in his preparation for the Tokyo games.

In recognition of his continued commitment to his sport and to help inspire other young athletes to follow their dreams, QTS has named Scott as an ambassador for its Youth Athlete Programme.

Launched in 2014, the programme supports aspiring young athletes, by providing funding to help towards the costs of training and competing. QTS currently has 15 athletes on the programme, including Scott and fellow ambassador, skier, Nicole Ritchie.

The summer Paralympics will take place in August and will be 31 year-old Scott’s second games. In Rio 2016, he narrowly missed out on the gold medal in the 100m Men’s S14 Breaststroke, taking home a silver, but this year he’s aiming for the top podium spot.

Following a tough 18 months of training which has brought new challenges following the Covid-19 pandemic, Scott is now working with a new trainer Matt Trodden. Matt has known Scott for 10 years, but it was not until this year that he took control of Scott’s Paralympic preparations.

Scott said: “Rio 2016 was an amazing experience, but for me it is all about the swimming and trying to inspire other young athletes to get into the pool!

“That is why I enjoy the work with QTS Group so much, the company are really supportive and it’s a privilege to be an ambassador. QTS has relieved the financial strain of competing from myself and my family, paying for travel, accommodation, food, and equipment. This means I can put all my concentration into the pool and fully focus on my training, and hopefully some more success.

“Being an ambassador has also inspired me to work towards a career behind the scenes when I eventually can’t compete at the highest level. I want to inspire other young athletes – across all abilities – that if you work hard enough and keep your feet grounded, anything is possible.”

Scott was born five weeks prematurely with a life-threatening condition, Crouzon syndrome which causes the brain and skull to fuse together.

With just a three percent chance of survival he underwent an eight-hour surgery where medics broke every bone in his face, reshaped his skull and lifted his eyes upwards. He was left with a large scar from ear to ear, tunnel vision and learning difficulties.

Scott is now one of Britain’s top para sport swimmers and the European record holder at 100m and 200m breaststroke. He hopes to add Paralympic Gold medal holder to his long list of sporting achievements this summer.

As an ambassador to QTS Group’s Youth Athlete Programme, Scott is a testament to the programme’s success. Scott hopes to help nurture and inspire other young athletes as they join the programme and progress in their sporting careers.

Alan McLeish, Managing Director of QTS Group said: “Scott is a true inspiration to anyone that meets him. His outlook on life is so humbling when you know what he has been through.

“It is a genuine privilege to be able to support his training and preparations as a para-swimmer, and specifically, the Tokyo games. Everyone at QTS will be setting their alarms to watch Scott in Tokyo to cheer him on!”

Gran says: ‘Well done, Scott – but mind your phone bill!’

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The 92 year-old resident of a Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association development in Edinburgh has spoken of her delight at her grandson winning a Paralympic silver medal when he visited her at her home.

Edinburgh born Scott Quin won silver in the S14 100m Breaststroke and visited his grandma, May Patton, at her flat in Juniper Green on Monday. May has lived in Hanover’s St Margaret’s Court for almost 36 years, having previously worked as a sheltered housing manager at the development, retiring in 1991.

Scott was given only a three per cent chance of survival when he was born with Crouzon syndrome and underwent major reconstructive surgery as a baby to break almost every bone in his face; as a result he has learning difficulties and tunnel vision.

May said that watching the nail-bitingly close race from her living room in Edinburgh, in which Scott missed out on gold by just three-hundredths of a second, was “superb” and that she “erupted with joy” when he took silver.

After the race, Scott called his Grandma from Rio to tell her of his win and May joked to “mind your time for the phone bill!”

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May has been with Scott every step of the way since he started swimming at the age of seven and has attended as many of his swim meets as possible over the years, seeing him win silver in the SB14 100m Breaststroke at the IPC Swimming World Championships in Glasgow last year. She still goes every Wednesday with her daughter, Scott’s mother Eileen, to collect him from his strength and conditioning training at Heriot Watt University.

May said: “I know all the hard work that he has put in and the countless 4am starts for his morning training sessions. Seeing him beam with happiness and standing on the podium in Rio is something I will never forget!”

Scott trains up to nine times a week at the Commonwealth pool. He said his time at the Rio Paralympics was an “incredible experience”, adding that he and his fellow team GB athletes would alternate wearing their blue GB tracksuit one day and their white the next.

Tammy Easton, Development Manager at St Margaret’s Court, said: “We are all so immensely proud of Scott. All of the development was egging him on and we can’t quite believe we’ve had a Paralympian visit us here!”

 

 

Paralympic torch coming to Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s Blackhall customers will have the chance to see the Paralympic Torch as it goes on a special tour across the UK. Sainsbury’s Blackhall will welcome the torch on Friday 19 October, when customers will have the opportunity to see, hold and take photographs of the iconic torch between 1 – 3pm.

The Sainsbury’s Paralympic Torch Experience will see the Paralympic Torch travel to 400 Sainsbury’s stores across the country – the Torch’s epic journey begins at Sainsbury’s Bradford Upon-Avon and ends at the retailer’s Lampeter store on Thursday 1 November.

The Torch is one of 620 Torches used in the 24 hour Relay which took place from Stoke Mandeville in Aylesbury, the home of the Paralympic Movement, to the Olympic Park in Stratford, London on Tuesday 28th to Wednesday 29th August. 101 stores from other areas across the country previously saw the Torch ahead of and during the Games, and now the retailer –  and first ever Paralympic Games-only sponsor – is extending it to the rest of the country.

Sainsbury’s Blackhall Store Manager David Bainbridge said: “We’ve really enjoyed playing our part in raising awareness of the London 2012 Paralympic Games in Blackhall. For our customers, it’s a once in a lifetime chance for them to see the Torch and feel the buzz of the Paralympic Games, which we’re proud to have sponsored.”

The local Sainsbury’s store is also responsible for another Olympic legacy, with two local high schools sharing in the success of the 2012 games thanks to donations from Sainsbury’s. The Royal High School received a donation of London 2012 sports clothing which they aim to use for team events, and organisers of Broughton High School’s recent Septemberfest were delighted to use Sainsbury’s London 2012 merchandise for prizes.

The store hope the donation will help maintain the positive momentum and feeling created by the London 2012 Games. Sainsbury’s Blackhall Store Manager David Bainbridge said: “Our colleagues and customers have really got behind all Paralympics GB and Team GB athletes and we wanted to celebrate the success of the London 2012 Games by providing The Royal High School and Septemberfest with a lasting memento of what has truly been a year like no other.”