Redditch born speed skater Adam Hill represents Team GB at Youth Olympic Winter Festival - The Redditch Standard

Redditch born speed skater Adam Hill represents Team GB at Youth Olympic Winter Festival

Redditch Editorial 24th Mar, 2022   0

TEAM GB short track speed skater Adam Hill, from Redditch, is currently competing for Team GB at the Vuokatti 2022 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival (EYOF) in Finland.

The 18-year-old suffered a semi-final exit in the 1500 metres before narrowly missing out on reaching the same stage in the 500 metres where he finished 11th in a personal best time.

His final event is the 1000 metres which takes place tomorrow (Friday, March 25).

Hill was the only British athlete in action on day one of the Games and he skated his way to the semi-finals of the 1500 metres after finishing third in his heat in a time of 2:33:406.




However, despite placing third again in the semi-finals, Hill was disqualified after being penalised for an incident that caused Bulgarian skater Stefan-Aleksandar Kyumyurdzhiev to crash out, meaning he was unable to take his place on the start line for the B-Final.

Hill said: “I was lucky enough to qualify through my first race – I finished third and the top three went through, so I was really happy that.


“I raced a good race tactically and did what me and my coach Billy [Simms] had planned.

“I did get a penalty in the semi-final, as I went to go around the outside of another skater [Stefan-Aleksandar Kyumyurdzhiev of Bulgaria] and unfortunately there was contact, which meant he fell and I was disqualified.

“Despite that, I actually finished third across the line and managed some good overtakes out there.

“It can be difficult to receive a penalty in bigger competitions, and even though I was unfortunate to get it, it’s still given me confidence.

“I’m still really proud of how I raced, I felt strong all the way through and I’m really looking forward to representing the country again in the coming few days.”

And Hill returned to the ice on day two of the Games where he secured another personal best in the 500 metres.

Hill sailed through his first heat and posted a personal best time of 43.379 in his quarter-final, but narrowly missed out on a place in the semi-finals, after finishing third.

Great Britain have representation in six of the nine disciplines with athletes competing in alpine skiing, biathlon, figure skating, Nordic combined, short track speed skating and snowboarding.

The Festival provides athletes aged between 15 and 18 with one of their first multi-sport experiences and plays a crucial role in the development of young athletes from across the United Kingdom and Europe.

Vuokatti 2022 is the 15th edition of the EYOF and the second time that it has been on Finnish soil, with Vuokatti also playing host to the festival back in 2001.

Approximately 1,500 athletes from 44 European countries are taking part, in what is Europe’s largest multi-sport youth event.

Advertising

Advertise with the Redditch Standard to reach your audience

Reader Travel

Check out all of the latest reader travel offers to get your hands on some free gifts.

Online Editions

Catch up on your local news by reading our e-editions on the Redditch Standard.

Recruitment

Find a career you'll love with our free career finder website.