Frame runner Ian Duncan has won a national award recognising his contribution to sport and desire to help others.
The Corstorphine Athletic Club member, 13, who lives with cerebral palsy that affects his mobility, co-ordination and balance, was named the Rotary GB & Ireland Young Citizen Sporting Hero 2024.
Ian and fellow competitor Finlay Menzies were the first two athletes in CAAC’s frame running group when it launched in January 2023, having previously had to travel to East Lothian twice every week for sessions.
The group has now trebled in size with training taking place at the Saughton track alongside the club’s able-bodied competitors.
Ian has previously taken part in a medical study at Queen Margaret University looking at the impact of frame running on the health and wellbeing of individuals with walking difficulties.
He also completed a challenge to climb 8,810 steps – the equivalent of scaling Ben Nevis – to raise £1,755 for youngsters to utilise Muirfield Riding Therapy.
And he has won gold medals for Scotland at the World Abilitysport International Cup over 60m, 100m, 200m and 400m, as well as championing frame running and encouraging others to take part in the sport.
Sports-daft Ian, who recently joined wheelchair rugby league club Edinburgh Giants, said: “Frame running gives me stability and it means I don’t need to worry about my balance. I get the feeling of freedom and competition as well as speed. It makes you feel like everyone else.
“I live in Edinburgh and we were travelling to East Lothian (for frame running). But for people who couldn’t travel to East Lothian, we wanted to make the sport accessible to them and Corstorphine Athletics Club took it on. There were two of us who started it and it’s just grown from there.”
“I would like to say a huge thank you to the Rotary Club for all their help and support – and helping to buy a frame as they are quite costly. Without their help, we wouldn’t have been able to get the club off the ground.”
Along with his award, Ian was given £250 to donate to charity. He chose Kindred, an advocacy group helping families of children with complex needs navigate services and support. It has already inspired one four year old to try frame running.
Evergreen sports journalist. Previously published in many publications around the world. Send me your local sports stories. billlothian1008@gmail.com
