A PARALYMPIC gold medallist from Newcastleton recently attended a Scottish Parliament’s Cross Party Group for Visual Impairment to talk about his experiences as a swimmer and how, with the right support, sport can be inclusive for all.
South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth said it was “an absolute honour” to discuss inclusion and accessibility in sport with the double gold medallist swimmer.
Mr Smyth, who is a member of the cross party group, and had the opportunity to speak with Stephen, said: “It was a huge honour to discuss inclusion and accessibility in sport with Stephen.
“Like all our Olympic and Paralympic athletes, he is a true inspiration and it was really great to hear his unique perspective.
“Winning gold takes a huge amount of dedication and sacrifice, and Stephen is a fantastic role model.
“Watching Stephen winning those golds on TV was definitely one of my family’s highlights during the Paralympics and we are looking forward to watching him win more in the future.
“It was great that Stephen is hoping to take part in future big events including hopefully the Paralympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
“We joked about the fact he needs to keep going until he has even more medals than his sister Libby!
“It’s so important that sport, just like everything else, is available for everyone and that the right support is available to make it truly accessible.
“I’d like to thank Stephen for coming along to the cross party group and for sharing his story.”
