Great starts for Elise and Emma
Young Stirling athletes Elise Graham-Marr and Emma Mailer will be following in the footsteps of some of Britain’s biggest sports stars this week.
Sixteen year-old Dollar Academy student Mailer who is a member of Central AC, will compete for the Scotland squad in the 300m hurdles and 4x300m relay.
She already has an impressive record of success, and was crowned the U18 400m hurdles champion at last year’s Celtic Games.
Thirteen year-old pentathlete Elise is in the U14 Scotland squad competing in Laser Run at the 2018 School Games — a national multi-sport event for the UK’s most talented school-age athletes taking place at Loughborough University from tomorrow (Thursday) to Sunday, September 2.
Elise is an impressive sportsperson, taking part in running, riding, rugby and hockey alongside the modern pentathlon.
Laser Run originated as an element of the modern pentathlon and now exists as a fast-paced and exciting stand-alone competition; athletes combine running and shooting a laser gun at targets in a timed race.
More than 1400 athletes will compete across 11 sports at the School Games, five of which include disability disciplines. This year the games has introduced four new sports (canoeing and rowing, Laser Run, netball and triathlon).
Among the well-known stars who have competed at the games in the past are multi-medal winning swimmer Adam Peaty, heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, sprinter Adam Gemili and Paralympic champions Hannah Cockroft, Ellie Simmonds and Jonnie Peacock, Olympic champion Adam Peaty, heptathlete
At the event Blayne will experience the excitement of competing at the highest level, living in a dedicated athletes’village on the Loughborough University campus, taking part in a School Games ceremony and performing in front of huge crowds.
The 2018 School Games is supported by National Lottery funding from Sport England and Home Country Sports Councils and is delivered by the Youth Sport Trust.