By Tom Degun

Croydon claimed_Panathlon_champions_June_15June 14 - Croydon have been crowned champions of the 2012 Panathlon Challenge after more than 250 disabled schoolchildren competed in the London final at the Westway Sports Centre.


Teams representing the five London Boroughs of Haringey, Camden, Croydon, Harrow and Newham battled it out but it was Croydon who were victorious.

They held off defending champions Newham by just two points to claim their first win since 2006.

Each team in the final had progressed through two regional qualifying competitions, participating in a variety of specialised sports including boccia, visually impaired football, table cricket and athletics.

The medals were awrded by Louise Sugden and Helen Turner, both members of Britain's wheelchair basketball team that will be competing at the 2012 Paralympics.

Croydon coach Wendy Hartill said she as delighted to secure victory.

"It is fantastic we came first, and [to] win the London Championship for the first time since 2006.

"Our students performed incredibly well and are very proud of their success."

Panathlon is a charity which provides multi-sport competitions for over 2,500 disabled children each year, predominantly across London and the South-East, with 125 schools from all of London's 32 Boroughs involved.

Panathlon London's principal sponsors include the Mayor of London, the Jack Petchey Foundation and the St James's Place Foundation.

Panathlon champions_2012_June_15
"It is fantastic to see the Panathlon Challenge going from strength to strength every year, helping to inspire young people to get involved in sport," said the Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

"Grassroots competitions such as this are crucial if we are to achieve our goal of building a lasting sporting legacy in the capital from the 2012 Games.

"My Sports Legacy Fund was established to support exactly this kind of event."

The final results saw Croydon finish first with 50 points, Newham second with 48 points, Haringey and Harrow joint third with 42 points and Camden fifth with 28 points.

"With excitement really starting to build for the London Paralympics, we are delighted to report that 2012 has been the biggest and best year for Panathlon in our 13-year history," said Panathlon founder Ashley Iceton.

"Teachers, coaches, participants and Paralympians continually tell us we provide the most inclusive sports competition for young disabled people.

"We would like to thank our main funding partners for the huge part they play in bringing sport and activity into the lives of these children."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
June 2012: Disabled schoolchildren on their marks for London final of 2012 Panathlon Challenge