Top wheelchair basketball teams to use Northern Ireland event as London 2012 warm-up
By Duncan Mackay
January 29 - Antrim is set to host four of the world's leading wheelchair basketball teams next month as they continue their preparations for London 2012, it has been announced.
Northern Ireland Sports Minister Carál Ní Chuilín and Disability Sports NI revealed that the line-up for the event at the Antrim Forum between February 6 and 9 will be Britain, Italy, Poland and Turkey.
"We are hosting four of the best wheelchair basketball teams in the world, all of whom have qualified for the 2012 Paralympics," said Ní Chuilín (pictured).
"This training camp comes on the back of successful badminton, boccia and table-tennis pre-games events which not only bring elite athletes to [Northern Ireland] but also generates much needed economic benefits.
"This event demonstrates strongly that we have the facilities and expertise to be part of the Olympic and Paralympic dream."
Local basketball teams are also to benefit from the visit of the athletes as the teams will be hosting coaching sessions with during the course of the tournament.
"In addition to attracting international teams to train in Northern Ireland, Disability Sports NI is running a schools competition on the 8th and 9th February with local children of all abilities experiencing wheelchair basketball and meeting the elite athletes," said Dominic Walsh, the chairman of Sport Northern Ireland.
"It's testament to the superb partnerships between Government departments, governing bodies of sport and local Councils that Northern Ireland has a tremendous calendar of activity in the run-up to the [London] Games."
There will be also be plenty of local interest in the performances of the British team.
"The GB squad has two team members from Northern Ireland, Matthew Rollston from Rathfriland and Paul McKillop from Belfast," said Malcolm Tarkenter, chairman of the British Wheelchair Basketball Association.
"Training events like this in the build up to the Olympics and Paralympics show young people the passion of sport and a chance to watch their own local heroes in action against the best in the world."
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