BLIND runner Simon Webb from Hampton Hill has been selected to run for England at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester on July 30 and 31 (writes TONY FLOOD).
The 22-year-old Webb, a member of Richmond Athletic Club for seven years, will be competing in the 100 metres for totally blind athletes after winning the event in the British Blind Sports National Athletics Championships recently.
Simon, who is accompanied by his regular guide runner Tom Crossland, and his fellow competitors must wear blindfolds to ensure that there is no chance of anyone gaining an advantage.
His father John says: "Simon has worked hard to achieve international status and has finally been rewarded. Representing England for the first time is a great honour, but doing so in the Commonwealth Games is an added bonus."
A delighted Simon comments: "I was picked on the basis that I am the No. 2 competitor in the country in my sight category, which is for totally blind runners as opposed to various levels of partially sighted."
He is planning to run at Barn Elms, Richmond, this Sunday in Richmond Athletic Club's championships.
Simon is a student at Trinity and All Saints Colleague in Leeds and trains with Leeds City Athletic Club. He is also coached at Barn Elms by Jim McGregor.
July 8, 2002 17:00
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