Super Ali Rocks up on two-year deal for Glasgow
WIMBLEDON AFTERMATH
NEW Glasgow Rocks coach Tony Garbelotto has landed his No.1 summer target after signing up Great Britain forward Ali Fraser on a two-year deal.
The 24-year-old Scot arrives from German outfit Erdgas Ehingen and it marks a return to the Emirates Arena for the Scot who played a single game for Glasgow in 2014 before injury ended his season.
He said: “This seemed like the perfect time to come home to play with the Rocks, especially with them setting up a new partnership with the University of the West of Scotland.
“This will give me the opportunity to complete my Masters degree while playing in front of family and friends who have not been able to see as many games while I have been playing abroad.”
With Kieron Achara, Gareth Murray and Jonny Bunyan already agreeing fresh deals, it gives the BBL outfit one of the strongest domestic cores in the league before Garbelotto begins assembling his import contingent.
And it fulfils new owner Duncan Smillie’s pledge to assemble Scotland’s top players on home soil.
He said: “Ali made it clear he had unfinished business at the Rocks.”
Hannah Cockroft claimed her second gold of the World Para Athletics Championships before Richard Whitehead missed out on his bid and expressed frustration at a lack of opportunity at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
Wheelchair racer Cockroft won the T34 800 metres. Sophie Kamlish won the T44 100m to take host Great Britain’s gold medal tally to 11.
Whitehead, who won T42 200m on Saturday, finished third over 100m before hitting out at the International Paralympic Committee for denying double amputees like him the opportunity to compete over the shorter distance at the next Paralympics.
Australia’s Scott Readon, a single leg above knee amputee, has lobbied for double above knee amputees to compete separately due to the circular motion of their running style.
That means Whitehead, 200m champion at the last two Paralympics, will have only one race to compete in at Tokyo 2020. He said: “It is ridiculous. We want the 100 and 200m in Tokyo.”