Team looking to build on Paralympics success
A CHARITY based in Beeston is hoping to build on a successful Paralympics by raising money to promote their sport at the Robin Hood Half Marathon.
Boccia England, a charity based in Beeston responsible for governing the sport of Boccia, have entered six members of their team in the Nottingham Post Corporate Challenge.
Boccia is a Paralympic sport which is similar to bowls and is played from a wheelchair. In the recent Tokyo Paralympics team GB won a gold medal in Boccia.
The charity are hoping to build on the coverage of the sport at the Paralympic games by fundraising at the half marathon.
Dan Headley, 27, who is a project manager at he charity and will run
the half marathon, said: “It’s been strange for us as a team, trying to train for two different distances in the same event but I think we’re prepared.
“The motivator has been trying to raise some money and awareness for the sport, I don’t think I would be running at all without it.
“In Tokyo there was a lot more media coverage.
“It’s about building on that coverage and spreading awareness and getting people asking about the sport further asking just what it is.
“We’ve all got our Boccia England kit with our catchphrase, ‘changing lives through Boccia’ across them.”
Rachael Crack, 37, who is a competition manager at Boccia England and will run the half marathon, said: “I think we’re looking forward to it, although my plan went a bit off track when I picked up a knee injury, so I’ve had to avoid running and did a lot of swimming and cycling instead in the build up. But I think I’ll still make it around hopefully.
“We’re a bit of a mix of a sporty group and a not so sporty group.
“The sport has picked up some great coverage with the recent gold medal, but it’s been a long around a long time.
“The more money we can raise through fundraising means that we can take the sport to other people, putting more into supporting athletes and running events so that the public can come and learn about the sport and deliver the sport to their own communities.
“We’ve not even been able to hold competitions for pretty much 18 months, the weekends before the race will be the first steps back on court and everyone is very excited.”
Kate Dewhirst, 25, works at the grassroots level of the sport and will complete the mini marathon dressed as Boccia’s mascot, a polar bear named Jack.
She said: “For the people at that level they’re seeing that we’re doing this and they’re getting their friends and family behind it. It’s that kind of greater awareness that we’re looking for, we know about Boccia but a lot of people don’t.
“I’m training dressed as Jack and the last week I went for a walk round in the costume and it was interesting, it gets people looking and that’s obviously what we want.
“It’s designed for a six foot person and I am five foot nothing, Even if it’s raining I’m sitting inside in the costume trying to acclimatise.
“I’m hoping it’s not too hot for obvious reasons, we don’t want a sunburnt polar bear.”