The entire Team Special Olympics Great Britain (SOGB) sailing squad for the World Games in 2019 is set to be made up of athletes training in Renfrewshire.

Lewis Nicholson (Paisley), Michael Kelly (Paisley), Jamie Kearns (Clydebank), Shannon McGhee (Clydebank), Laura Carrick (Helensburgh, Lothian) and Darren MacGregor (Glasgow) will travel to Abu Dhabi as part of a delegation of 129 athletes set to represent Great Britain.

All six of the athletes who will make up the sailing squad train at Castle Semple within Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park and this will form their base for their preparations for the World Games next year – supported by the coaching team at Castle Semple.

Councillor Andy Steel, Chair of the Clyde Muirshiel Joint Committee, said: “It is a fantastic honour for these athletes to be chosen to represent Team SOGB at the World Games and this comes after a fantastic performance in Sheffield where they won two silvers and a bronze.

“We’re extremely proud that these young people are training and learning at the top class accessible facilities we have at Castle Semple and we will do all we can to facilitate them as they prepare to face the best athletes from across the world.”

The Special Olympics World Summer Games is the biggest global event for athletes with intellectual (learning) disabilities and takes place every four years.

Team SOGB are one of 168 countries taking part and around 7,000 athletes from around the globe will compete in 24 different sports between 14-21 March 2019.

A full list of those selected for Team SOGB can be found here: www.specialolympicsgb.org.uk.

For more information on the Special Olympics World Games 2019 can be found here: www.specialolympics.org/Games/2019_World_Summer_Games.aspx

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