Sky pundits join Paralympics GB Blind squad in London.
The Paralympics GB Blind football squad celebrated the start of ticket sales for the London 2012 Paralympics with a penalty shoot-out against a team of Sky Sports pundits in Trafalgar Square last week.
The shoot-out was part of International Paralympic Day which saw many of the 20 sports from London 2012 demonstrated at the world famous London landmark with the likes of the Prime Minister David Cameron, Mayor Boris Johnson, Lord Coe and Paralympic 100m gold medallist, Oscar Pistorious, all in attendance.
Sky’s team featured Chris Kamara, Paul Merson, Matt Le Tissier and Ray Wilkins while the GB Squad, run and administered by The FA, included several players from the England team that finished fourth at last year’s World Championships with Dave Clarke, Jon Gribbin and Keryn Seal joined by new team member, Owen Bainbridge.
GB’s sighted 'keepers, Lewis Skyers and Dan James, took it in turns to go in goal with Chelsea and Swindon Town’s youth teams warming up the crowd with their own blind penalty competition before the main event while GB Head Coach Tony Larkin and The FA’s Head of Disability Football, Jeff Davis, gave the Sky team a quick masterclass in Blind Football skills and techniques in the dressing room area.
As expected, the shootout saw GB prevail against the former pros with Jon Gribbin hitting a hat-trick to give the Paralympians a deserved 6-4 win in front of a big London crowd.
However, all four Sky stars managed to find the net and Wilkins was impressed with the skill levels of the blind footballers: “It was really difficult and we’ve got nothing but admiration for these guys.”
And Kamara is already looking forward to the Paralympics next year: “I wasn’t planning on going to the football at the Paralympics in 2012 but, having taken part in the shoot-out today, I definitely will be now.”
Joining the Paralympics GB Blind squad at London 2012 will be the GB Cerebral Palsy team who play seven-a-side football and tickets for both football tournaments are available until 26 September by
clicking here.
