Scots target Paralympics medals

By Darren Marr

Sprinters Neil Fachie (left) and Ian Jones training for the Paralympics

Scottish athletes are bullish about their Paralympics prospects in Beijing and locking horns with some of the best competitors in the world.

Aberdeen sprinter Neil Fachie, 24, is taking it all in his stride and says all the pressure is on his rivals ahead of the Games, which begin on Saturday and end on 17 September.

The British champion over 100m and 200m is a realistic medal hope in Beijing and knows there's a chance of success.

"Anybody who makes the final could get a medal, so I just need to make sure I make the finals and take it from there," he said.

Fachie secured qualification to Beijing by running 11.42 seconds and 22.97 seconds in the 100m and 200m respectively, in Nottingham at the British trials, winning both events in the process.

I'm really just aiming to run two personal bests and see where that takes me Neil Fachie

The Scot is ranked in the top 10 in the world, but Team GB see him more as a development athlete in Beijing and someone who they expect to do well, but will not likely peak until London 2012.

Fachie competes in the T13 category of his events, which covers those who are visually impaired and only have about 5-10% normal vision.

The Aberdeen athlete has lived with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) since birth and it is a condition that has deteriorated as he has aged.

"I have night blindness. So in dimly lit areas I'm almost essentially blind," Fachie explained.

He has strong competition in the T13 category, with Irish world record holder Jason Smyth the favourite in both sprint races.

However, as in every sprinting event, Fachie knows that if he can manage to make the final then anything's possible.

"I'm really just aiming to run two personal bests and see where that takes me, but I know if I run to my potential then I can get a medal," the British champion added.

The physics graduate from Aberdeen University has been a full-time athlete for more than two years and can count on the knowledge of his coach, former sprinter Eddie Mckenna, for guidance.

Before qualifying for Beijing and now in the run-up to the Paralympics, Fachie completed 25 training sessions per week and said the importance of having a full-time coach cannot be overstated.

The torch was lit during a ceremony at Beijing's Temple of Heaven

"The amount of time Eddie has been able to dedicate to me has been a major factor in my improvement as an athlete," he said.

In 2006 he was sixth in the 200m and seventh in the 100m and, more impressively, in May this year he was second in the 400m and third in the 100m at the Paralympics World Cup in Manchester.

The Beijing Games are expected to attract 90,000 fans - and Fachie is excited at the prospect of competing in front of thousands of spectators.

"That will be an experience that I can't even imagine," he said.

"I dream about getting a medal in Beijing, but London 2012 is my real goal.

"White male sprinters tend to peak between the ages of 28-30. I will be 28 in London and 30 in Glasgow. So if things don't work exactly to plan in Beijing then there are bigger and better opportunities ahead for me."

Fachie points out that there was no T13 at the last Commonwealth Games in Melbourne but is hopeful that it might be introduced in time for him to compete in front of a passionate Scottish crowd in Glasgow in 2014.

"I can't imagine anything greater than running in front of a Scottish crowd in a Scottish vest," he said.

"Running for Britain is going to be amazing, but there's just that something extra special about the Scottish crowd."

Until then, the focus is on Beijing and the opportunity to compete for a coveted Paralympic medal.

Although yet to be confirmed, Fachie's first heat will be the 100m on 15 September, with his 200m final expected to be 17 September - the final day of competition.

A Scottish medal would be a fitting way to conclude Beijing 2008.