Medals galore for the region
Local bowlers won national titles The Perthshire Advertiser has teamed up with Perth and Kinross Disability Sport (PKDS) to shine a light on the region’s talented athletes in a new monthly column.
A registered Scottish charity, the aim of PKDS is to promote sport and physical activity for people with physical, learning or sensory disabilities at a local level.
That has certainly been achieved across the past month but success has also been forthcoming on a regional and national level.
Larger trophy cabinets will soon be required as athletes continue to impress and return home with an abundance of silverware and memories.
In athletics, Freya Howgate, of Perth Strathtay Harriers, has enjoyed multiple successes in recent weeks.
The 14-year-old travelled to Bedford at the end of August to compete in the English Athletics Age Group Track and Field Championships.
Up against a large field, Freya performed fantastically to return to the Fair City with a gold medal in the javelin and a silver in the shot put.
It turned out to be a memorable weekend as, on the track, she picked up personal best times in both the 100m and 200m.
Freya’s busy time of action continued on English soil at the UK School Games, where she won silver in the discus and bronze in the shot put.
And more success followed when the Kilgraston student joined fellow Harriers’throwing star David Noble at the Scottish Disability Sport National Track and Field Championships.
Held in Grangemouth, Freya won gold in all four of her events including a personal best in the 100m, while David won gold in the discus and silver in the javelin.
From track and field to bowls where, at the start of September, six Perth and Kinross bowlers travelled to Aberdeen to compete in the Scottish Disability Sport Lawn Bowls Championships.
Steve Key of Inchture Bowling Club and Blackford Bowling Club pair Fiona Driver and Graeme Panton returned as national champions.
Making a splash at the Dundee Disability Sport Discovery Games was a large team of swimmers from Perth Dolphins, Perth City Swim Club and Fairview School.
Great speed and technique was on show from all participants to achieve impressive times and top three finishes throughout the event.
The Discovery Games also resulted in success for promising young boccia player Alex Medley.
He scooped the gold medal in the A section while Rosie Randel performed well to take second place in section C.
Back in the water and pupils from Fairview and Perth Grammar School competed in the Tayside Schools’Swimming Championships in Forfar.
The team of six swimmers put on a fine show, posting times which will hopefully lead to qualification for the National Championships.
Anyone interested in finding out more about Perth and Kinross Disability Sport can email graemedoig@perthand kinross disabilitysport. com