Strathaven's Aileen Nelson selected by Team GB for the 2014 Paralympic Games

Strathaven's Aileen Nelson selected by Team GB for the 2014 Paralympic Games

Aug 29 2013 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

 

Aileen Neilson

Strathaven curling champion Aileen Neilson is one of the first four athletes selected by Team GB for the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.
The British Paralympic Association (BPA) on Wednesday (yesterday) announced the first four athletes to represent ParalympicsGB at the Games in wheelchair curling as Aileen, Bob McPherson (Bellshill), Gregor Ewan (Elgin) and Tom Killin (Edinburgh).
Aileen will lead the team after being named as Skip.
Great Britain won silver in wheelchair curling at the 2006 Paralympic Games in Turin, Italy.

The team, which competes as Team Scotland at World Championship level, has produced strong performances at international competitions between the last Games in Vancouver, Canada, including taking silver at the 2011 World Championships.

Aileen Neilson (42) makes her second appearance for ParalympicsGB after making her debut at the 2010 Vancouver Games, where the team finished in sixth place.

She said: “Competing at a Paralympic Games is the pinnacle of any athlete’s career, and I’m so pleased to be representing ParalympicsGB for the second time in Sochi.

“It is a real honour to be named Skip for the team, and I’m really looking forward to the next few months as we make our final preparations for the Games.”

Bob McPherson from Bellshill is set to make his Paralympic debut in Russia, as will Gregor Ewan. Both players have established good team-work with Killin and Neilson, having competed as part of Team Scotland at the 2013 World Championships in February this year.

The quartet will benefit from their experience on the ice at those World Championships, which were also held in Sochi.

Tony Zummack, head coach of the Wheelchair Curling team, said: “Aileen, Gregor, Robert and Tom have shown an ability to be an efficient team on ice and I look forward to giving them the opportunity to continue to develop their team identity and work closely with each other.

“We will continue to practice with purpose, and thanks to the support of British Curling’s partners at UK Sport, sportscotland, Royal Caledonian Curling Club and the British Paralympic Association we will be best prepared to compete with the other nations at the 2014 Paralympic Games in Sochi. I feel very confident in their ability, desire and commitment.”

Further team announcements for Sochi 2014 will be made over the coming months.