Five rising stars from the Demonburgh club have been selected to train with Team GB ahead of the Junior Roller Derby World Cup in Brisbane, Australia, next year.
These include Cameron Sarpong, aged 14, known as Pika 2, who has already been selected to join the prestigious Open Division Team having earlier this year competed in a nationwide selection process.
Cameron is one of just two Scottish athletes to make the final roster, and over the coming months he will be travelling to practice sessions at Lilleshall National Sports Centre in Shropshire to prepare for the Olympic level competition.
He will be joined by four talented Demonburgh team-mates selected for the Team GB development squad. They are Cecily Hutcheson, 13, Chloe Hu, 14, Sarah Gordon, 14, and Sophie Marshall, 13, all from Edinburgh.
The quartet will train alongside Cameron’s Open Division team with an eye to competing in future international competitions including the 2027 World Cup.
Heather Weatheritt, Demonburgh’s coach, said: “This is a huge moment for Demonburgh and for each of the skaters selected. They have all shown immense dedication and have trained so hard to get where they are. We are so proud to see them recognised.”
Jonathan Emery, Team GB head coach added: “We are incredibly excited to welcome Demonburgh athletes to Team GB – their skill and passion for the sport have earned them a well-deserved place among the finest young talents in British roller derby. We expect the training and preparation for the 2025 World Cup to take their skating to the next level and we can’t wait to see them shine and push their limits in the months ahead.”
The Junior Roller Derby World Cup runs every two years and features USA, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Australia and France.
Funding through the Junior Roller Derby Association UK is limited, and junior athletes are required to fund the majority of their trip which is estimated to be in the region of £10,000. Cameron is hoping to fund-raise enough to cover his trip for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
To assist Cameron go to his Gofundme page here
Evergreen sports journalist. Previously published in many publications around the world. Send me your local sports stories. billlothian1008@gmail.com
