 YOU ARE VIEWING ARTICLE - ID:20120511031  |
| Title: | Paralympics Joy For South Yorkshire Fencer | |
| Author: | Craig McCann | | ID & Publication: | 20120511031 ~ The-Villager.co.uk | | Area: | Bessacarr | | Subject: | Sport (Local) |
| |
|
SOUTH Yorkshire fencer Craig McCann is celebrating after being named in the ParalympicsGB squad ahead of this year’s games in London.
Craig, 28, of Bessacarr, Doncaster, has been selected for the men’s team event which takes place at ExCeL in early September.
The announcement has delighted Craig, who only took up the sport two years ago after impressing coaches at a ‘Paralympic Potential’ session.
He said: ‘I’m so happy to be named in the squad. I’ve been in and around the squad for the last year or so and my training has been really focused so it’s great to see that the effort has paid off.
‘I’ve been down in London looking at the venues recently and it’s been amazing to be around there even now so I can’t wait until I’m there in action with, hopefully, lots of people supporting me.’
The former McAuley Catholic High School pupil is still ranked as the second best disabled fencer in his disciplines in Britain and is inside the European top 35 in both epee and foil disciplines.
Despite being named in the squad for the team event, Craig had hoped of making the individual event but narrowly missed out.
He added: ‘I’m a bit disappointed in not making the individual event but we have some top wheelchair fencers in Great Britain and I’m still young so I’ll be pushing for a place at Rio De Janeiro in 2016.’
Craig was diagnosed with having a brain tumour at just 19-years-old after an RAF medical. Despite almost immediately having the tumour removed, the 18-hour surgery left him with severe nerve damage to his left hand side, affecting his hearing, sight and balance.
He will be continuing to train at Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium throughout the spring and early summer after returning from a training camp in France. He will also be taking part in World Cup events in Italy and Poland as well as another training camp in Belfast ahead of the games.
Craig is currently looking for sponsorship from any businesses or organisations in a bid to keep his training at the level required to bring Paralympic success back to South Yorkshire There are no pictures to accompany this article | Search Villager Archives for similar articles | [Top..] |
| 
