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Special Olympics with Team GB is Callum’s target

Posted onPosted on 30th Sep

Figure skater Callum Mills is working hard as he aims to be selected for Team GB again and represent his country at the Special Olympics World Winter Games.

Callum, who trains at the Lammas Leisure Centre rink in Sutton — where he has been supported by Everyone Active, which runs the centre — has enjoyed a terrific 2019 in Inclusive Skating.

Callum will be 21 on 1st November and he used to live in Mansfield. He is now preparing for the Special Olympics Great Britain National Figure Skating competition at Solihull at the start of January 2020.

A successful competition there could lead to selection for Team GB at the Special Olympics in Sweden in 2021.

Callum, a former student at Portland College, Mansfield, went to the Special Olympics in Austria in 2017, but was struck down by pneumonia and flu.

However, he bounced back in 2018 with eight medals at the 2018 British Inclusive Skating Championships, where he brought home eight medals.

This year Callum, who has a number of special needs because he is deaf and has autism, a heart defect and CHARGE syndrome — a rare genetic disorder that can affect many areas of the body — has won golds, silvers and bronze in all of his competitions.

At the Inclusive Skating/Paralympics World Championships in Glasgow he won six gold medals — free skating, elements, free dance, pattern dance, international free dance and pairs. He was second in the Paralympic overall and third in the British Inclusive section.

Despite being unable to attend a competition in Edinburgh, Callum still won gold medals in the free skate and free dance after submitting a video entry.

He also claimed four golds — free skating, free dance, pairs and synchro — at the International Inclusive and Paralympics Jeans for Genes competition in September.

For his pairs events, Callum has teamed up with Jenny Lee, of Skipton.

Callum’s proud mum, Michelle Mills, and Jenny’s mum, Helene Lee, both travel between Bradford Ice Arena and Lammas Leisure Centre to ensure the skating partners can work together with their different coaches to get a solid routine for them.

Michelle said: “I’m so proud of Callum and all of his achievements. He continues to work hard and go from strength to strength.
“He and his coach, Kelly Scott, work very hard together.

“As always we are grateful to the people who have sponsored Callum, and continue to look for funding to enable Callum to represent his country.

Callum, of Shuttlewood, said: “I love ice skating and I try to work very hard to hopefully keep representing my country.
“I would love to get chosen for Team GB at the next World Winter Games.

“Thank you to everyone for supporting me.”