Paralympian Derek Rae from Kirkcaldy and Fife AC will head out to Rio on 8th September to join his Great Britain team mates. Coach Ron Morrison has scheduled quality races and a very detailed training programme between now and departure date. The most recent competition involved a return to Dublin for the Frank Duffy 10.
For the first time in 2013 Scottish Athletics invited Derek to join the squad for the Frank Duffy 10 mile around the streets of Dublin. This was Derek’s first call up by his governing body and he justified his selection with a time of 56.54 and 41st place. One year later, he returned to Dublin and finished 26th in a time of 54.47. There were only 5 minutes between Derek and the leading athlete on the day.
Conditions this year were extremely challenging so the time became irrelevant for coach and athlete. A top finishing position was the target for the day and true to form Derek delivered. 8th place and only 2.30 behind the leader for a best performance by far in the Frank Duffy 10. Another very positive result for the man from Fife who will be Great Britain’s only ambulant marathon runner at the Paralympic Games in Rio in September.
Photo: Derek extreme right with his Scottish Athletics colleagues
Richard Brickley MBE
President, Disability Sport Fife