Athletics: Clegg among group poised for support

CAPITAL Paralympic ace Libby Clegg is among athletes being lined up for special assistance ahead of the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

The 22-year-old face of the Evening News Christmas Appeal to raise money for Royal Blind – the charity which runs her old school in Edinburgh – was a silver medallist at each of the last two Games and is among those to receive support, including medical back-up, from Scottish Athletics and Sportscotland Institute of Sport.

Others listed include reigning Scottish athlete of the year, Lynsey Sharp, her fellow Olympian Freya Murray, also from Edinburgh, and Edinburgh University PE graduate Eilidh Child. Completing strong Edinburgh involvement are sprinters Tom Holligan, Emily Dudgeon and Jay Younger, along with Emily Stewart (steeplechase), Chris O’Hare (1500m) and field athletes Susan McKelvie (hammer), Kirsty Yates (shot) and Emma Nicol (high jump).

The support isn’t financial, as such, but helps with competition opportunities and emphasis has been placed on bringing coaches into the information and education loop. Assistance also extends to handing athletes advice and guidelines on social media.