Youngsters with disabilities in Aberdeen said they were inspired by this year’s Paralympics, which highlighted the importance of parasports.
Aberdeen Sports Village hosted the Grampian Parasport Festival, a friendly competition where school kids with disabilities can show off their skills.
Sports featured on the day included swimming, water polo, boccia, athletics and wheelchair basketball.
The festival has been running for years, but this is an occasion in which the festival coincides with the Summer Paralympics.
Team GB walked away with a massive medal haul of 49 gold, 44 silver and 31 bronze medals, finishing second on the medal table.
The major sporting events have inspired keen athletes in the north-east, who despite their disabilities are pursuing all things sport.
Gregor Owen, 14, from Aberdeen, said it was “inspiring” to see para-athletes competing at such a high level.
He said: “I was really interested in the wheelchair racing, it looked like a lot of fun.”
He suffers from central core disease, yet this has not stopped him from playing wheelchair basketball at a junior high level.
Paralympics inspiring new crop of Aberdeen talent
Seth Briggs is a 10-year-old from Ellon who has spina bifida and hydrocephalus, which affects his lower limbs.
He said he “loves exercise” and enjoys playing with his friends with aspirations to compete in the Paralympics.
He is currently part of an under-14s wheelchair basketball team, the Grampian Flyers, so is keen to explore what it could be like to compete in wheelchair basketball.
The men’s team at the Paralympics had a strong run to the quarterfinals before losing to the United States, who took silver.
Seth says there is not enough inclusion at his school regarding disability sports, something echoed by his mum, Margaret.
She added: “Seth is very determined, nothing is going to stop him. If he wants to do something, he will find a way to do it.”
Also at the Parasport Festival was Julian Ochem, aged 11.
Suffering from Brittle Bone disease, while he likes watching wheelchair basketball, he sadly is not allowed to play due to his condition.
He would be keen to participate in other sports, including cycling, and looked to be fast while riding around in his hand-pedal bike.
He said watching the Paralympics made him “really excited for what the future might be”.
‘Incredibly important to get kids involved in parasports’
Danny Purdie, 27, was also at the festival and has suffered from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome for many years.
She is part of the Grampian Flyers and is glad to see an inclusive event like the Grampian Parasport Festival but says more needs done.
She said: “There could be better coverage of parasports in Aberdeen, I also do wheelchair racing and there’s also athletics available, but apart from that, we are a little sparse on sports.
“I think sports like wheelchair rugby and boccia could be good for up here.
“I think it’s incredibly important to get kids involved in parasports. It builds an entire new community that kids wouldn’t have had access to before.
“It also connects them with disabled adults so that they know what their own outlook in life might be.”
Unlike in other fields, specialist equipment for specific sports can be expensive and require funding.
Danny noted the cost of a wheelchair for basketball can be between £2,000 and £15,000.
She said she watched “pretty much every event” at the Paralympics.
“I was hugely motivated and inspired watching the wheelchair basketball, picking up a lot of new tactics and plays and a lot of things we could bring back to our club also.
“People are looking for parasports on the back of the Paralympics, I think there needs to be more offering everywhere.”
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