Over 120 people, young and old, rose up to the challenge of racing a sports wheelchair as part of Bedford’s High Street Showcase event on Saturday 3 June.  

The wheelchair racing was aimed at challenging people to sit in and race a wheelchair as part of the promotion of the “Push 4 It” event to be held on Sunday 8th October, at the Bedford International Athletics Stadium, Barkers Lane.  The October event is a legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Held each year it has already raised over £30,000 to encourage and assist young disabled people to get into sport and improve their performances.  Push 4 It challenges both able-bodied and disabled people to compete in simple relay races or individual time trials and has become so popular that it is being promoted nationally by Rotary International in Great Britain and WheelPower, a national wheelchair sports charity.

Many of those taking up the challenge at the town’s showcase event have signed up to take part in the October challenge, which this year promises to be better than ever.  Businesses, clubs and individuals are sought to sign up.

Contact Mary Whitehead m.e.whitehead@btinternet.com

In 2012 Howard Darbon, President of Sport Bedford and friends helped to host paralympians at the pre Games camp at the Polhill campus of the University of Bedfordshire. He is keeping the Olympic flame alive with the wheelchair events. Here he is presenting prizes  donated by The Grand Indian restaurant and Riverside Grill to the two younger winners of the showcase “race”.

Men      Yann Locatelli

Ladies   Esther Nelson

Boy       Albi Crawford

Girl       Katie Carlo