Medals at the double! Finlay lands debut bronze and Melanie adds to World Para tally

Wednesday 1st October 2025

Photos from Pamela Robson in India

Finlay Menzies marked his debut on the international stage with a brilliant bronze medal at the World Para Champs in India.

And early on Wednesday morning (our time) Melanie Woods won her second medal of the Champs – with another bronze.

Finlay added further to the Novuna GB and NI team medal haul in New Delhi by taking third in the T72 100m final on Tuesday.

Melanie then made it three medals for the two Scots as she added the second bronze of her week in New Delhi.

After third in the T54 800m, the Red Star AC athlete was third in the 1500m final with 3:19.75. The race was won in a Championship Record by Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland in 3:16.81.

Having delivered a personal best in the morning qualifying session, Finlay took it up another level in his T72 100m final.

He achieved a second personal best of the day to finish in 16.29 seconds and claim a podium place in his first-ever World Championships. It was a British Record in the attempt.

‘It feels amazing that it’s been the first games I’ve been involved in and I have managed to medal. It makes it so special,’ said the Livingston AC athlete, where he is coached by Celia Peerless, and who also trains with the Frame Running group at Corstorphine AAC guided by Graeme Reid.

‘I was pretty confident that I could make it happen – I just had to give it my best shot. It’s absolutely amazing my parents are here and I can celebrate this with them.

‘I’m so passionate about Frame Running – it’s so fun and the only way that I can run. I can’t wait for the Paralympics in LA – it’s so exciting.

‘It would be amazing if more people could watch and know about it. I’d love for more people to see what people can do with whatever disability they’ve got, and that they’re more than what their disability is.’

Photo by Marcus Hartmann

Melanie said: ‘Two medals out of two races – what more could you ask for.

‘I wanted to be up in the mix early on and hold that line, I knew it would be tactical.

‘So I just had to stay in there and be ready for it to pick up the pace and hold on as long as possible.’

Unfortunately, news broke on Wednesday that Ben Sandilands has withdrawn from the World Para Champs through injury.

It is a great shame the Fife AC athlete is thus unable to defend his T20 1500m title but we send Ben and all his team our support and wishes for a quick recovery.