Fifers funded to help their para medal chances

The British Athletics WCP is UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded initiative to support the delivery of success at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Membership onto the WCP for 2020 is based upon an athletes’ potential to win a medal at Tokyo 2020 or Paris 2024.

There are two levels of membership on the Paralympic World Class Programme; ‘podium’ and ‘podium potential’.

Six Scots are named on the Paralympic podium part of the programme with places there for Jo Butterfield, Libby Clegg (guide runner: Chris Clarke), Samantha Kinghorn, Maria Lyle, Derek Rae and Stef Reid.

Fife AC endurance athlete Owen Miller is amongst those picked for the Paralympic Poidum Potential part of the overall support programme.

Rae won world silver at the London Marathon last April, which incorporated the world championship event in the T46 category. It was his first medal on the international stage, and he heads into the Paralympic Games in Tokyo as one of the highest ranked in the classification.

British Athletics listed 46 athletes in total for the support packages, with 20 of those being world medallists from the 2019 edition of the World Para Athletics Championships.

scottishathletics congratulated those who have been selected, saying: “It is great news for all involved and we send out congratulations to the athletes, their families and coaches as well as the clubs who have helped them develop over many years.”

Paula Dunn, Para Athletics head coach at British Athletics added that this is a crucial period for para sport.

She said: “As we are well into Paralympic year, it is great to announce the 2020 World Class Programme cohort following the late world championships last year,

“Several athletes stepped up last season and have moved up to podium level, which has been thoroughly deserved.”