Paterson relishing repeat British outing after impressive European Championships
The best years are still to come for Ross Paterson after finishing just inches away from a second World Para Athletics European Championships medal.
That’s the view of the para-athlete himself at least, bringing the curtain down on a fine week in Berlin which will see him leave with a piece of silverware in his luggage.
The Paisley athlete ran a personal best 24.96 seconds in the T38 200m but it was only enough for fourth, out of the medals by less than half a second in the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark.
A tough blow it may have been but, with the memories of his 400m silver medal still fresh, Paterson will take home with him a bounty of confidence as well as his podium prize.
It’s that self-belief which he is now looking to use in the years to come, with his final outing in Berlin coinciding with the two-years-to-go milestone for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
“I knew the 200m was going to be tough but I pushed myself to my limits and left everything on the track, I got a personal best so I’m buzzing,” said the 19-year-old who has hemiplegia, which affects the control, coordination and movement of the right hand side of his body.
“From start to finish, putting on the British vest and talking to everyone on the team has been brilliant. It has been a real buzz for me and hopefully I get to do it again.
“Everything is a learning curve, from starting preparations to finishing preparations. I know what I need to work on for next season. Winter is going to be tough but I am looking forward to the journey.
“I have had a lot of people come up to me and say this is the start of your career so I am looking forward to it.”
British Athletics works alongside UK Sport and the National Lottery to support the delivery of success at the world’s most significant sporting events, principally the Olympic and Paralympic Games. They do this via the funded initiative, the World Class Programme, one part of the British Athletics pathway.
