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16 September 2021
Representing Team Scotland,Kilgraston’s Upper Sixth pupil won silver medals in both her mixed para shot-put category and 4x100m mixed universal relay, where she joined three other athletes from England, Northern Ireland and Wales, with whom she had never previously raced: “It was so exciting to be part of that group and Team Scotland,” said Freya, “especially as the competition was cancelled last year.”
Running over three days during early September, over 1,000 young athletes competed across ten sports, including disability disciplines, at venues throughout the university’s campus.
Freya, on a Disability Scholarship at Kilgraston, is the first pupil to do so and was competing as a T37/F37 athlete at Loughborough. “The School has been behind me all the way,” she said, “they are always so supportive and encouraging.” 2021 has had its challenges for the young athlete, with both herself and several close family members suffering from Covid: “The season has been a bit up-and-down regarding performances,” she said, “having to miss a big chunk of training during the end of June and start of July.”
As well as illness, exams have always been on the horizon: “I’ve had a lot of schoolwork to prioritise as it was my Highers this year. But all-in-all, I’m happy to be out training and I know the performances will come and keep improving if I work hard.”
Earlier this year, Freya was invited to compete in the British Athletics, Coventry Spring Meet. Speaking to her local paper, the Perthshire Advertiser, after that event, the youngster said: “Coventry was excellent. Some of the athletes there were preparing for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics so, just to be thought of (in that category) made me feel really good,” she continued, “I did feel a bit of pressure to perform, but I managed a new personal best, so that was thrilling.”
Training with local club, Perth’s Strathtay Harriers, Freya has even bigger competitions in her sight, previously speaking about her desire to compete at the Paralympics, Commonwealth Games and European Championships: “It would be great,” she said, “I know that I will really need to work hard for that to happen. But I think that, with the Harriers, I am in the right place and on the right track, so we will see how it goes.”
Dorothy MacGinty, Kilgraston’s Head teacher, commented: “We have been charting Freya’s incredible success for many years now. She is a delight to have at the school. We are so pleased to be able to play a small part in her journey.”
