LEWISHAM came through a nerve-shredding final to win a dramatic gold in the Paralympic sport of boccia at the London Youth Games finals at Westway Sports Centre.
The team, who are all from Brent Knoll School, held their nerve to edge out final opponents Wandsworth 2-1 in sudden death after the sides had finished level at 1-1 folowingthe regulation two ends.
And Lewisham had reached the final the hard way after another hard-fought 2-1 win over Bexley in a close semi-final after surviving a tight group to proceed to the knock out stages.
Lewisham team manager Naomi Vann paid tribute to her team.
She said: “I’m absolutely ecstatic, I thought they played really well and they played well together as a team.
“They had done quite a bit of training, which was unusual for us as we normally don’t get the chance, so this was great.
“I’d come here hoping we’d get out of the group stages, although I have to admit to bribing them with an ice cream if they got that far, then if they made it past the quarter-finals we added sprinkles.
“Because they’ve won the tournament, they can have a flake in it as well.”
Bexley’s side, who were made up of students from Cleve Park School, had to settle for bronze in the end after being edged out by Lewisham in the semi.
However, they made a strong start to the tournament with a big 6-1 win over Hammersmith & Fulham but had to work hard for their next two wins against Kensington & Chelsea and Barnet, both of which were won by a single point.
Having secured place in the last eight, Bexley produced probably their best performance of the day with a 7-0 win over Southwark.
Team manager Leyton Thompson has also seen a positive impact on his pupils from their participation in sport.
He said: “It gives students who might not have had an opportunity to take part in sport the chance to take part in events that are suited to them and that they can excel in and show they can do just as well in sport as anybody else.
“The confidence and self-esteem of the kids, especially in school when they go back and tell all their friends and the rest of the school about how they’ve done, they’re really proud to have done so well.
“It definitely has a positive impact.”
Mr Thompson has also seen an increase in children taking part in disability sport since the Paralympic Games last year.
“A lot more students are taking part in boccia in particular as part of lunchtime clubs and after school clubs and we take part in other events as well.
“It’s opportunities that they’ve never had before.”
There were 44 former London Youth Games competitors who took part in the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games winning 14 medals, including nine gold from Mo Farah (athletics), David Weir (disability athletics), Bradley Wiggins (cycling), Joanna Rowsell (cycling), Naomi Riches (disability rowing).
To find out more and to get involved, visit londonyouthgames.org
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