A VALE of Clwyd teenager has had the chance to test himself against some of the best Paralympic athletes.

William Bishop, 17, from Llanrhaeadr, was selected to represent Wales in a wheelchair basketball tournament earlier ths month.

 

Denbighshire Free Press: William Bishop in action. Picture: Christopher Cox PhotographyWilliam Bishop in action. Picture: Christopher Cox Photography

 

3x3 wheelchair basketball is included for the first time in this year's Commonwealth Games, in Birmingham, and the Welsh squad headed to Largs, in North Ayrshire, Scotland to take part in the qualifiers.

William, a student at Denbigh's Myddelton College, was one of four players chosen for the Welsh men's squad.

He flew to Glasgow with his coaches, team and the women’s squad for the event.

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The competition took place on Thursday, April 14 at the Sports Scotland National Centre, in Inverclyde.

Wales were defeated in their games, however they did themselves and the nation proud.

Their joint squads had an average age of just 18 and the other squads included senior GB players and with players from multiple Paralympic Games.

As Disability Sport Wales said: “What an incredible future for the sport, in Wales.”

 

Denbighshire Free Press: William Bishop in action. Picture: Christopher Cox PhotographyWilliam Bishop in action. Picture: Christopher Cox Photography

 

William, who has mild cerebral palsy, had been attending training sessions for months up and down the country leading up to the qualifiers and he was delighted to receive the news that he was one of those selected.

His ambitions are to study at Cardiff Metropolitan University and to go as far as he can with sport in the future.

William would like to thank Disability Sport Wales for all of their support, his Commonwealth Games coach Caroline Matthews and his Wheelchair Basketball North Wales coach, Mike Hayes.