Team Dartford have booked their place in the Kent Final of the prestigious 2012 Panathlon Challenge.
Panathlon provides multi-sport competition for disabled children, predominantly across London and the south-east. Twenty Kent special schools and over 250 children are involved in this year’s Challenge.
Dartford, represented by Milestone School, triumphed with 48 points in today’s west Kent competition at The Malling School, which was supported by a £5,000 donation from the Charles Harris Academy.
Runners-up were Malling and Sevenoaks, represented by pupils from the host school and Five Acre Wood School, with 42 points. Tonbridge and West Kent (Ridge View and Tonbridge Schools) were third with 40 points and Gravesham (Ifield and Gravesham Schools) were fourth with 38.
Eight Young Leaders supported the Panathlon Competition from the Malling School, part of the group of 46 Panathlon has qualified as Young Officials in the last two weeks.
Dartford qualify for the June 13 final at Sevenoaks School as part of Kent School Games, with second-placed Malling and Sevenoaks awaiting the outcome of this week’s other competitions in east and central Kent, which take place on Wednesday and Thursday.
Dartford team manager Frances Dean said: “ We are delighted to get to the final. Having lost out last year, we put double the effort in this year.”
The Panathlon Challenge incorporates the sports of boccia, polybat, table cricket, new-age kurling and athletics.
Dean added: “ Panathlon is the most inclusive competition for our students who can’t access any other competition.”
