Bronze medalists: Camden girls’ disability football team

Published: 21 June, 2012
by STEVE BARNETT

PLAYERS representing Camden’s girls’ disability football team were celebrating this week after netting a bronze medal in the Balfour Beatty London Youth Games.

The triumphant team started the day at Hackney Marshes with a goalless draw against Lambeth, before picking up good wins against Hillingdon, Richmond and Ealing.

The girls went on to beat Bexley 2-0 in the quarter-finals, but suffered heartache in the final four as they were narrowly beaten by Sutton 1-0 in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out.

After watching Camden win a bronze medal in the competition for the second year in a row, team manager Anthony Doherty said: “I am immensely proud of the team.

“The most pleasing thing was that they conducted themselves amazingly and carried on and kept going all day. We will be back next year and continue to try and go forward.”

Camden also competed in the panathlon, where pupils from Swiss Cottage, Jack Taylor and South Camden schools joined forces to earn a creditable fifth place finish with 28 points.

Councillor Tulip Siddiq, Camden cabinet member for sports and culture, showed her support as she cheered on the boys and girls, including table cricketer Grace Mponda-Lobaso, 14.

Camden had to progress through two regional qualifying competitions to reach the finals, participating in a variety of specialised sports including boccia, football, polybat, table cricket, new-age kurling and athletics.