THE proud mum of a young Dunfermline para-athlete who completed Sunday’s London mini marathon admitted to feeling “quite emotional” as he crossed the finish line.

McLean Primary School pupil Callum Sloan (11) finished sixth in the three-mile under-14 boys wheelchair race in a time of 24.14 after taking on the challenge for athletes aged between 11-17 for the first time.

Previous winners of the event include London 2012 Paralympic gold medalist David Weir, who mum Gayle said is an “inspiration and role model” for her son, who has ambitions to emulate his hero and race for Team GB.

Callum was born with a spinal cord abscess which saw him suffer from paralysis since birth, but took up wheelchair racing when he was eight and Gayle told Press Sport that her “amazing little boy” is proving that disabled youngsters can aspire to achieve in sport. She said, “When he was born it was obviously devastating at the time but we as a family had to make sure that he gets to experience the best of everything, and he constantly surprises us with what he achieves. He works so hard and doing events like this enforces the point that he can do something like race for Team GB one day and that the opportunity to do things that other kids his age do is there.

“I was quite emotional to see him come around to the finish line and was relieved that he made it around safely. I was a bit worried he’d be overawed by the whole experience but he loved having the crowds cheer him on and to have that sense of achievement.

“He’s very chuffed with himself because that was the biggest race he’s competed in, and he wants to do it again next year which gives him something to keep training for. He has come on leaps and bounds since his coach Pamela Robson came on board in the last 18 months, and although he was nervous before, it went really well.” Disability Sport Fife (DSF) athlete Callum began racing in 2008 and Gayle said that his “face was a picture” as he finished the event that also saw him raise £1100 in sponsorship for DSF.

She continued, “When we moved to Fife he got involved with DSF and it was when we went to the Paralympics in 2012 that we picked up his racing chair. He wanted to be like David Weir who is his role model and although he might not reach that level, it’s all about being the best you can be and we will support him all the way.

“His enthusiasm is infectious and he raised money in sponsorship because he wanted others to experience what he has been able to. His dad, brothers and gran and grandad were all down watching him and he has so much to be proud of. The whole family is very proud.” THE proud mum of a young Dunfermline para-athlete who completed Sunday’s London mini marathon admitted to feeling “quite emotional” as he crossed the finish line.

McLean Primary School pupil Callum Sloan (11) finished sixth in the three-mile under-14 boys wheelchair race in a time of 24.14 after taking on the challenge for athletes aged between 11-17 for the first time.

Previous winners of the event include London 2012 Paralympic gold medalist David Weir, who mum Gayle said is an “inspiration and role model” for her son, who has ambitions to emulate his hero and race for Team GB.

Callum was born with a spinal cord abscess which saw him suffer from paralysis since birth, but took up wheelchair racing when he was eight and Gayle told Press Sport that her “amazing little boy” is proving that disabled youngsters can aspire to achieve in sport. She said, “When he was born it was obviously devastating at the time but we as a family had to make sure that he gets to experience the best of everything, and he constantly surprises us with what he achieves. He works so hard and doing events like this enforces the point that he can do something like race for Team GB one day and that the opportunity to do things that other kids his age do is there.

“I was quite emotional to see him come around to the finish line and was relieved that he made it around safely. I was a bit worried he’d be overawed by the whole experience but he loved having the crowds cheer him on and to have that sense of achievement.

“He’s very chuffed with himself because that was the biggest race he’s competed in, and he wants to do it again next year which gives him something to keep training for. He has come on leaps and bounds since his coach Pamela Robson came on board in the last 18 months, and although he was nervous before, it went really well.” Disability Sport Fife (DSF) athlete Callum began racing in 2008 and Gayle said that his “face was a picture” as he finished the event that also saw him raise £1100 in sponsorship for DSF.

She continued, “When we moved to Fife he got involved with DSF and it was when we went to the Paralympics in 2012 that we picked up his racing chair. He wanted to be like David Weir who is his role model and although he might not reach that level, it’s all about being the best you can be and we will support him all the way.

“His enthusiasm is infectious and he raised money in sponsorship because he wanted others to experience what he has been able to. His dad, brothers and gran and grandad were all down watching him and he has so much to be proud of. The whole family is very proud.”