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AYRSHIRE ATHLETE SELECTED TO REPRESENT SCOTLAND IN COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2022
Cameron Radigan ’ s journey to achieve his goal of being an elite archer and representing Scotland at the highest level has finally come to fruition through hard work , dedication and the support of family , friends and the local community .
Cameron was diagnosed with cancer in his left leg when he was two . Treatment saved his life but also cost him part of his left leg . Eleven years in remission he is still undergoing surgery on his leg while competing at every opportunity . The latest procedure has left him dependent on a wheelchair but he hasn ' t allowed this to get in the way of his ambition to compete at the very highest level and despite health challenges and the pandemic Cameron ' s qualification for the Commonwealth Championships is even more inspiring .
Overcoming all obstacles , Cameron has been working harder than ever to make sure he is competition ready . His first year of competing at senior level has been filled with adversity but also success . Not only is he the current British Men ’ s Para Recurve Champion but he has been selected to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Championships 2022 .
Cameron narrowly missed being considered for the Paralympics in Tokyo 2020 , however , lockdown meant all competitions were cancelled and Cameron didn ' t have the chance to compete to achieve the necessary WA720 scores until after the team was selected .
With all archery clubs closed due to the pandemic , a determined Cameron used an abandoned bus shelter to train but when this was earmarked for demolition , Cameron approached East Ayrshire Council about using the hockey field at his former school , Loudon Academy , at evening and weekends . East Ayrshire Leisure also gave Cameron use of the Ayrshire Athletics Arena when it was not in use . With all risk assessments approved and COVID-19 restrictions in place , Cameron created a team of archers to train with called Red Frog . This has allowed them to compete against each other and his Coach Lana Needham ( Former Commonwealth Scotland Team Head Coach ) has also been participating by coaching over video on WhatsApp .
In August 2020 , when the restrictions were eased , and pilot archery competitions were allowed to take place . Cameron was ready .
There is only one Para archery event in the UK , so he will be competing against able bodied archers for the full season . He placed 13th in the WAC Open in Surrey that comprised of 80 archers , including members of the former and current Olympic men ’ s team . In the Archery GB international H2H he ranked 9th in a field that consisted of the current British men ’ s Olympic squad , competitors from Ireland and Australia . Cameron also competed in the Barnsley Archery Club Double WA720 and ranked 4th in a field that consisted of the current UK top men ’ s recurve archer .
Cameron said , “ I appreciate the support of East Ayrshire Council and East Ayrshire Leisure and I hope they are satisfied with the effort I have put in over the past year to ensure my current competitive level has been maintained and that I represent Scotland to the best of my abilities ”.
It is safe to say East Ayrshire Leisure and East Ayrshire Council are massively proud of the progress made by Cameron , but mostly by his determination and dedication to training and we wish him the very best of luck !
You can follow Cameron ’ s journey on his training blog https :// www . facebook . com / Camerons-Training-Blog-1865031173759464 /
To find out more information about facilities at the Ayrshire Athletics Arena , visit http :// eastayrshireleisure . com