03-05-2025
Cumbrian student wins bronze medal at Wheelchair Rugby European Championship 2025
A Cumbrian student has helped Team GB secure a bronze medal at the Wheelchair Rugby European Championships.
18-year-old Oli Wightman secured a bronze medal as part of the Great Britain team, which competed in the European Championships that took place at the Sportcampus Zuiderpark in The Hague, Netherlands between Tuesday, April 22 and Sunday, April 27.
The British team secured their medal with a 59-48 victory against Germany in the third-place playoff fixture.
After securing bronze as part of the GB wheelchair rugby team, Oli, who has only been playing wheelchair rugby for eight months, was on hand to express his delight and set his sights on the upcoming World Championships in 2026 and the 2028 Summer Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
He said: "It was an amazing experience, showing the world what I, and the GB team, have been working on, and the potential we have for the future.
"It was amazing seeing and playing against some of the world's best wheelchair rugby athletes. Even though we didn't get the result we were looking for, I think everyone was impressed with our performance and the new and young talent on the team.
"I can't wait until next year when we get to play against the top teams in the world at the world championships in Brazil.
"With the amount of new talent, I believe that our team has the most potential across the world, and next year will be our opportunity to test this.
"Hopefully, this will help us meet our end goal and my dream of winning gold at the 2028 Paralympics."
Oli was supported in The Hague by his dad Ian, who expressed his pride in his son's achievement and discussed his determination to become one of the best wheelchair rugby players in the world.
He said: "It was an outstanding achievement by the team to get bronze after only playing together for four months.
"They are a mixture of older, experienced players and some great new up-and-coming players.
"Oli has only been playing rugby for eight months and has had a whirlwind of a start to hopefully a very successful career
"Oli is a very talented and determined young player and wants to be one of the best in the world."
Oli is also a Year 13 student at Brampton's William Howard School, with headteacher Kath Pigdon, also congratulating the local athlete on his bronze medal win as part of the Great Britain wheelchair rugby team.
She said: "We are immensely proud of Oli for winning a bronze medal in the European Wheelchair Rugby Championship.
"Throughout the tournament, our entire school community has followed his journey with great excitement.
"Oli is not only an exceptional athlete but also an inspiring young person whose positivity and drive motivate everyone around him to be the best version of themselves. "
