Scotland Hosts 10K Wheelchair Race

22 Oct 2008 By IPC

This weekend saw the invasion of powerful athletes in Jedburgh, Scotland competing in the town’s 10K Wheelchair Race. Beginning at the Bonjedward Garage, and part of the Seventh Jedburgh Half Marathon, the race was organized by the Scottish Borders Disability Sports Group and included demonstration events the day before in Wheelchair Tennis and Athletics.

Jason Gill from Merseyside, Great Britain, finished first in the Wheelchair Race with a time of 26.27min. Second to finish was Paralympic Ambassador Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, with an impressive time of 30.53min. Thompson has completed around six training sessions since her retirement from Paralympic Sport 17 months ago and no longer has a racing chair. In the race, Thompson had borrowed a chair.

A first-time Wheelchair racer, Mike Robertson from Great Britain finished third with a time of 33.05min. Robertson previously was a Royal Marine and had trained hard to complete the event in good time. Following Robertson was Jade Jones, also from Great Britain and a first-time Wheelchair racer, finished with a time of 39.45min.

The hospitality and the organization from the Scottish Borders Disability Sports Group was a success, as expressed by many of the athletes upon completion of the race.

Jedburgh is located next to Jed Water, a tributary of the River Teviot, and only 16 kilometres from England’s border.