GEORGIE Hermitage, a 26-year-old para-athlete with promising ambitions of a gold medal at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio, will be the special guest at the Farnham Community Games this Bank Holiday Monday.
The Guildford and Godalming Athletic Club athlete (pictured) runs at a top level in a variety of sprint events and set a new world best in the T37 400m at the IPC Grand Prix in Berlin in June this year.
Georgie, who lives in Binsted - and who used to work in the trade office at the Hogs Back Brewery, Farnham - has cerebral palsy, and clocked a time of one minute, 2.7 seconds to eclipse the previous standard, set way back at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics, by more than two seconds.
Alan Taylor, chairman of the Farnham Sports Association for the Disabled, said: “Georgie is a great role model and she is an incredibly talented athlete. Everyone has high hopes for her at the 2016 Paralympic Games.
“The great thing about the Farnham Community Games is that it is inclusive and it tries to showcase opportunities for everyone in the community.”
Born in Guildford and a former George Abbot schoolgirl, Georgie quit the sport aged 14. It was only when the Paralympics came to London that her appetite was whetted again - but more so as it coincided with the birth of baby daughter Tilly.
As well as breaking the T37 400m world record, Georgie only missed out on the 200m record by a tenth of a second at the same event in June and she now hopes to take her form into the World Championships in Doha this October.
She said: “I’m looking forward to my first appearance at the Farnham Community Games and I hope to meet everyone taking part. I hear it’s a great community day of sport.”
The Farnham Community Games started in 2012 as a legacy event stemming from the London Olympic and Paralympic Games.
This year it is supported by Eagle Radio, which will be broadcasting live from the event, and David Lloyd Leisure, with more than 30 local sports clubs expected to attend.
These include Farnham Ramblers, athletics, disabled sports/mencap, Tae Kwon Do, Sailability, tennis, American football, Farnham Runners, judo, boxing, street dance, arability, gymnastics, baseball and even a ‘smoothie’ bike where all ages can earn their own smoothie drink in return for cycling effort.
The event is open to everyone on the August Bank Holiday Monday, taking place at Farnham Rugby Club in Monkton Lane from noon to 4pm.