DUNFERMLINE race ace Callum Sloan slashed three minutes off his personal best in his third London Mini Marathon last Sunday.

The talented teen, a pupil at Queen Anne High School, took part in the wheelchair race for the third successive year on April 23 and produced an excellent performance to finish fifth in the under-14 boys’ and girls’ event.

Callum, 13, was born with a spinal cord abscess that saw him suffer paralysis since birth, but took up wheelchair racing when he was eight.

He trains at Pitreavie as part of Disability Sport Fife’s weekly programme of run, push, jump and throws sessions, and used his London race to raise money for DSF in sponsorship.

Proud mum Gayle and coach Pamela Robson watched as he clocked a time of 21 minutes 25 seconds.

Gayle said: “He’s dead excited that he got three minutes off his PB; at the end he said that when he came around the corner and saw the clock, he couldn’t believe the time!

“The conditions were perfect and it is good for his confidence for the rest of the season.

“He’s trained really hard and, although everyone else was saying to him to go down and enjoy it, his personal goal was that he was determined to do a good time. He was a bag of nerves, but also excited, on Saturday and it was a big test to see how his winter training had gone.

“He was really chuffed and is raring to go for next year!”

She added: “He was well supported by family, friends and his school, and was raising money again for DSF. His coach, Pamela, is amazing and, from his point of view, he knows how fortunate he is. He tries all different sports and Disability Sport Fife does so much for those athletes, so if he can give a little back and can help others experience what he has, then that’s great.

“He’s got a lot of track and field events this year, mainly in Scotland, and closes with the Great Scottish Run in October.

“He won the boys’ junior race last year so he’s hoping to improve his time there but he just loves being out and racing as fast as he can!”