Wednesday, June 23, 2010

British archer with spina bifida aims for Commonwealth Games

From BBC News:


Disabled archer Pippa Britton (pictured) is hoping to be selected for Wales' able-bodied team heading to the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October.

Britton, 47, was born with spina bifida and has set world records and competed at the Paralympics.

She said: "It would be fabulous to shoot for Wales at a big, multi-sport event like the Commonwealth Games, it would be absolutely wonderful.

"And it's an able-bodied team as well and that would be extra special."

The Welsh Archery Association are expected to make their decision in the coming weeks with the Llantarnam Archery club competitor hoping that hitting the qualifying scores will see her succeed.

Britton, who was born in Cowbridge and now lives in Newport, said: "Archery is a really, really inclusive sport.

"Every time I go out and compete in Britain, I'm competing on shooting line with able-bodied archers and disabled archers.

"We all shoot on the same shooting line and we all shoot at the same distance and we all shoot with the same equipment.

"My local club is not a disability club, it's just a local archery club - Llantarnam Archery.

"They give me so much support as well. When I arrive there somebody gets my stuff out of the car for me. They don't have to do that, but it's that kind of a sport.

"It is inclusive and I think that's true for lots and lots of sports.

"You don't have to make a distinction between disability sport and able-bodied sport, although in archery the qualification scores are slightly different and slightly higher so to be able to achieve them is... I'm really proud to do that."