Celebrating athletes with cerebral palsy – #GoGreen4CP

Saturday 20th March 2021

Today we’re marking Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month by celebrating Scotland’s athletes with CP, in their own words. Sixteen athletes and coaches have contributed to our special video to support the #GoGreen4CP campaign.

In recent years, more and more Scottish clubs have embraced para athletics, offering opportunities to athletes with disabilities, including those with CP. One of the great Scottish success stories has been the development of RaceRunning, in which athletes use a three-wheeled frame to support them as they run, opening up the track to athletes with CP and others.

Scottish athletes and coaches have been among the pioneers of RaceRunnning and have been at the forefront of campaigning for it to be accepted as a competitive athletics discipline.

Two Scottish athletes, Kayleigh Haggo and Gavin Drysdale (pictured below, pic by Bobby Gavin), are RaceRunning World Record holders, and the sport is vibrant from elite level right the way to the grassroots.

Outwith RaceRunning, Scottish athletes with CP are also breaking down barriers to compete in other track and field disciplines, including double World Champion sprinter Maria Lyle and European silver medallist Ross Paterson, while Caroline Baird MBE, a four times Paralympic gold medallist, was inducted into the scottishathletics Hall of Fame in 2019.

We’re delighted to celebrate the achievements of Scottish athletes with CP past and present, along with their coaches, families and supporters, by asking them what athletics means to them.

Below: Maria Lyle with coach Jamie Bowie

Tags: #Parafocus, Caroline Baird, Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, Gavin Drysdale, Kayleigh Haggo, Maria Lyle, Para athletes, Para athletics, Ross Paterson

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