Paralympics: Welsh athletes are on track for for World Cup

Apr 30 2008 by Anthony Woolford, South Wales Echo

THERE will be a strong Welsh flavour in the Great Britain camp at the Paralympic World Cup from May 7-11.

Ten of Wales’ top athletes are heading for Manchester’s SportCity, having been selected by UK Athletics.

They form part of a 31-strong team that will take to the track and field in what is one of their last chances to fine-tune their Beijing Paralympic preparations.

The Welsh contingent is led by Tracy Hinton (Cardiff AAC), a visually-impaired runner who has raced at the Sydney and Athens Games and boasts an illustrious CV from her time on the track.

Likewise, Beverley Jones (West Cheshire AC) will be using the outing in Manchester as a bench-marking exercise, while , Nathan Stephens (Wales FDSW) is looking forward to competing.

Wales’ younger guns will also be out in force, aiming to make their mark. Sprinter Jenny McCloughlin (Wales FDSW), from Chepstow, is a graduate of Disability Sport Wales’ highly successful Academy programme.

With three Academy members – James Ball, Rebecca Chin and Daniel Norton – making the trip to Manchester, Gareth John, Chairman of Disability Sport Wales, is looking forward to seeing how some of the younger athletes perform.

“Wales has a proud tradition in disability sport and we are expecting strong performances in Beijing,” he said. “But we are not complacent and we are committed to continue to drive talent through to the top.”