Paralympians get boost from Boris and Barbara
Three of Leicestershire's sitting volleyball Paralympians started the day on a high yesterday as they met the Mayor of London and a famous TV actress.
Jessica Frezza, Andrea Green and Julie Rogers met Boris Johnson and Barbara Windsor before their team did battle with the Ukrainians.
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But the politician and the soap star failed to inspire the British team as they lost their opening match 3-0 to Ukraine at London's Excel arena.
These are the first Games that ParalympicsGB have entered the sitting volleyball competition.
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The Leicestershire sitting volleyball trio will be hoping to bounce back and inspire Britain to a win over the Netherlands today.
Leicester's Joe Dodson had a day to forget as he scored an own goal as the British goalball team were beaten 7-1 by Turkey.
Joe's parents, Jane and Brian Dodson, of Broughton Astley, said their son would put the disappointment behind him.
Mrs Dodson, 55, said: "Joe is an amazingly positive person and will not let this get him down. Own goals are just one of those things that can happen to anyone, even to the best player in the world."
Mr Dodson, 55, said they were going down to watch Joe play tomorrow and on Tuesday.
He said: "We are very proud of him and what he has achieved. He will always be in good spirits."
Britain's goalball men gave away six penalties as they suffered their second successive 7-1 defeat in group A. Turkey, who beat Beijing 2008 bronze medallists Sweden in their opening game of the tournament, could have won by a greater margin as they scored from only three of those penalties.
Britain, making their Paralympic Games debut at this tournament, suffered a 7-1 reverse at the hands of world champions China on Thursday evening and were unable to regroup for the match yesterday morning.
The British team needed to secure victory over Sweden today morning to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Mrs Dodson said: "You can rely on Joe and his teammates to give it their all.
"They will carry on until the final whistle."
The bad news for our local Paralympians continued as Emma Hollis finished seventh in her heat for the women's 400m freestyle swim.
This means she does not qualify for the final.
Leicester Cobra player Natasha Davies, who is in the women's wheelchair basketball squad, did not play. The team was beaten 51-24 by the Australians.
Sprinter Libby Clegg was due to run in one of the T12 100m heats today.
Claire Williams, from Loughborough, was also due to compete in the women's F12 discus final today.
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