Jane Campbell (L) and Sara Head (R) achieved another Brit Gold in Croatia

GOLDEN BRITISH GIRLS AT EUROPEAN PARA TT CHAMPIONSHIPS

Jane Campbell and Sara Head were crowned as European Para TT Champions in the Women’s Class 3 Team event in Croatia on Friday.

They beat France 3-1 in the final after a highly successful season in which they were unbeaten by European teams; last time in Genoa in 2009 they took a European bronze and since then have won World bronze in Korea in 2010.

Silver medals were won by Paul Davies and Rob Davies in the Men’s Class 1 Team event, losing to France 1-3, as well as by Will Bayley and Paul Karabardak in the Men’s Class 7 Team event, losing to the Ukraine 1-3, having beaten Spain 3-2 in the semi-finals. They’d never beaten Spain before so the achievement led to a remarkable celebration.

Kim Daybell and Ashley Facey-Thompson lost out in the bronze play-off in the Men’s Class 10 Team event to Hungary 3-2 with the final doubles match ending in a deuce loss for GB.  Also fourth were the Women’s Class 1/2 Team of Cathy Mitton and Dzaier Neil playing in a round robin.

The only team out of the top 4 was the Men’s Class 8 Team of Aaron McKibbin and Ross Wilson who lost closely in their group to both the eventual silver and bronze medallists.

Overall, with these team results following similar medal success in the singles, the British squad can look back with considerable pride to an amazing week in Split. In 2009 in Genoa, there were five medals (one silver and four bronze ). But in Croatia in 2011 there were six medals (two gold, four silver) plus six fourth placed finishes making 12 players in total in the top four.

Gorazd Vecko – BTTAD Performance Manager was delighted by the success and sees it as another step towards the 2012 Paralympics and beyond.

Mike Smith – Secretary BTTAD