Savouring their medals: the Camden Para Games squad

Published: 26 June, 2015
by STEVE BARNETT

TEAM Camden’s summer medal chase is well under way with scores of youngsters hopping, skipping, running and even fencing their way to the podium. 

Golden boy Jaziah Williams lit up the Para Games Athletics Championships, which are part of the London Youth Games, as he won both his 100m and 200m races at Lee Valley. Team-mate Leah O’Connell was also among the track stars as she won gold in the 200m and silver in the 100m. 

Paralympian Tim Prendergast (above, back row in the middle in the black polo shirt) joins families at the Active for All fun day

The medal count continued to climb as a Camden contingent returned from the London Schools Athletics Championships at Mile End Stadium clutching more gongs. 

The performance of the day came from Regent’s High School pupil Binyam Mesfin, who managed to equal the championship best time of 4 minutes, 45.8 secs to win the Year 7 boys’ 1500m. 

Binyam Mesfinstar, who starred at the London Schools meet

Team-mate Leanza Dwaah was also jumping for joy after being picked to race at the English Schools Championships. 

In the 100m inter-girls event, Leanza clocked a time of 12.59secs in the heat, before crossing the finishing line in 12.61secs in the final to earn herself a stunning silver medal. 

Jaziah Williams tops the podium after winning double gold at the Para Games

Other medal winners included Regent High’s Suhag Miah, who won silver in the Year 8 javelin, Patrick Kyle from UCS, who won silver in the Year 7 800m, La Sainte Union’s Che Thomas, who took bronze in the Year 7 discus, and Edwin Zanomi from Haverstock School, who took bronze in the Year 8 shot-putt. 

A team from Camden Fencing Club also shone for the borough as they battled their way to a well-earned bronze at the London Youth Games. Held at the Redbridge Leisure Centre, the boys topped their group and went on to beat Hillingdon in the quarter-finals before narrowly losing to eventual champions Haringey in the semi-finals. 

Para Games gold winner Leah O’Connell with mascot Foxy 

Meanwhile, children and young people with disabilities, and their families, got to meet paralympian Tim Prendergast at the Talacre Community Sports Centre in Kentish Town recently. 

The New Zealander, who has won a gold and two silver medals in middle distance running events at the paralympics, helped open Active for All, a fun sports day that saw visitors take part in a series of events, including cycling, archery, athletics, football, cricket, and gymnastics. 

All the teams in action were put together by Camden Sports and Physical Activity Service, in partnership with local schools and sports clubs.