Joe Hadfield and Laura Campbell called up for the Special Olympics Great Britain team (From York Press)

Joe Hadfield and Laura Campbell called up for the Special Olympics Great Britain team

11:05am Thursday 19th November 2009 in

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Two Applefields School post-16 students are celebrating after getting called up for the Special Olympics Great Britain team.

Joe Hadfield and Laura Campbell have been selected to represent GB in the 2010 Special Olympics European Summer Games in the Polish capital of Warsaw from September 18 to 24.

Hadfield has been picked for the athletics team while Campbell is in the tennis line-up.

Both have already sampled success when they bagged medals while representing the Special Olympics City of York ranks at the National Games in Leicester in summer.

To earn the Olympic Games call for the GB team is beyond their wildest dreams.

Campbell has been training weekly at York Tennisability Club under coach Bev Cairns, while Hadfield trains with City of York ‘No Limits’ Athletics Club run by athletics coach Paula Bird.

The Special Olympics City of York venture was set up only just over two years ago.

It despatched no fewer than 19 athletes to the National Games for the first time this summer and they returned with a gleaming haul of 19 medals.

Tim Madgwick, the retiring chairman of SO City of York, said at the recent annual meeting how “proud” he was of the youngsters’ achievements.

He also he paid a lavish tribute to all the coaches and volunteers who have made this dream become a reality.

New chairman Paul Ramskill added his congratulations.

The two students will join a total of 1,600 athletes, more than 600 coaches and carers, plus hundreds of volunteers, in Poland and need to raise £900 each to attend.

If anyone would like to sponsor the Poland-bound duo they are asked to phone school sports co-ordinator Val French at Applefields School on York 553900 or email valfrench_ssco@hotmail.com