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ParalympicsGB has today
named the four judo athletes set to represent Britain at this
summer’s Paralympic Games in Beijing.
The four-strong team of
Ian Rose, Ben Quilter, Darren Harris and Sam Ingram were in London
today for the team announcement, which took place in conjunction
with the British Olympic judo team announcement.
Britain will be represented
in the -60kg category, the -66kg category, the -90kg category
and the -100kg category following British performances at the
2006 and 2007 IBSA World Championships and 2007 European championships.
This will be the fifth
consecutive Paralympic Games for 35-year-old Rose, who won bronze
at the Atlanta 1996 Games before going one better in Athens in
2004 and winning silver. The High Wycombe athlete continued to
perform well in 2006 and 2007 winning world championship bronze
in the -100kg class in 2006 before going one better in 2007 and
taking world championship silver.
For the other three athletes
selected this will be their first Paralympic Games. Twenty-six
year-old Brighton athlete Quilter took silver at the 2007 European
championships to secure Britain a place in the -60kg category
at the Games.
The Chichester University
student, who took up judo 18-years ago, also just missed the podium
at the 2006 world championships, finishing 5 th.
Thirty-four year-old Darren
Harris, who also plays a high level of blind football, will represent
Britain in the -66kg category. The Bristol-based fighter, who
trains at the University of Bath, won silver at the 2007 European
championships to secure Britain’s Beijing berth in this weight
category.
Newcomer Sam Ingram will
take Britain’s final judo slot for the Paralympics competing in
the -90kg category. The 22-year-old Edinburgh-based athlete impressed
on his world championship debut in 2007 fighting off top competition
to win silver.
Dave Sanders, British Judo’s
Programme Manager leading the Visually Impaired Programme said:
“Now the selection is confirmed, the players who qualified the
places can concentrate on their final preparation for the Games.
“Three of the four players
have not competed in a Paralympic Games before but have won numerous
world and European medals between them. Ian Rose provides the
experience for the team having competed in four previous Paralympics,
winning silver in 2004, and bronze in 1996.
“We’re hoping that the
combination of youth and experience is going to prove to be one
of the most successful Paralympics for judo to date.”
ParalympicsGB Chief Executive
Phil Lane, said: “Selection for the
Paralympics is the culmination of years of hard work, training
and competitions and these four athletes should be extremely proud
of this achievement.
“From their success at
world and European championships over the last few years, these
four athletes have demonstrated that they have medal-winning potential
so I look forward to seeing them step up to the plate in Beijing.”
The Beijing 2008 Paralympic
Games opens on September 6 and closes on September 17. The judo
events at the Games take place at the Worker’s Indoor Arena in
Beijing and will run from September 7 to 9.
At the Athens 2004 Paralympic
Games Britain finished second in the medal table with a total
of 35 golds, 30 silver and 29 bronze medals. With competitive
standards continually rising and the dominant Chinese team taking
the home advantage ParalympicsGB recognises that the 2008
Paralympics will be one of its biggest challenges yet.
Judo squad:
Name
Born
Place of Birth Lives
Darren Harris
20/06/1973
Wolverhampton Bristol
Sam Ingram
22/08/1985
Coventry Edinburgh
Ben Quilter
08/10/1981
Brighton Brighton
Ian Rose
01/05/1972
High Wycombe High Wycombe
For further information
about ParalympicsGB, please contact Sian Davies in the Press Office
on 0207 211 5240 or 07721 892686 or by email at sian.davies@paralympics.org.uk
. For news updates visit the BPA website at www.paralympics.org.uk
N.B ParalympicsGB is the
trading name of the British Paralympic Association.
For further information
about British Judo contact Emma Griffin, Communications Director,
on 01509 631 692 or 07875 368495 or on email to emma.griffin@britishjudo.org.uk
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