Croydon para-athlete Prince Reid brought the curtain down on his season with a ‘phenomenal’ silver medal at the European Police Athletics Championships.
The 22-year-old represented the United Kingdom in Prague, finishing in second place in the mixed 4x400m relay.
Prince, who works for the Metropolitan Police as part of the Police Now Graduate Scheme, also finished fifth in the 400m where he was competing against non-para athletes.
“It was a phenomenal experience,” Reid said. “Not only competing and representing the UK Police Force but also going through the opening ceremony.
“The competition went really well. I went out there to try my best, me and the whole team did well and it was a proud moment.
“I came fifth overall and the 4x400m we medalled, which was a huge achievement for us as the UK Police Force.
“It was a moment for forces to come together and work together to really create a team environment and that is what happened, we became a team.”
The UK relay team finished behind Germany but pipped home favourites Czechia to the silver medal.
Reid, who usually competes in the T20 category for athletes with intellectual disabilities, was the best-placed Brit in the men’s 400m, which also saw Germany grab the gold.
The Blackheath and Bromley Harriers athlete is one of 50 athletes supported by a partnership between SportsAid and Pitching In, a multimillion-pound grassroots sport programme established by Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral.
The Liverpool John Moores University student qualified for the Championships in Prague after taking gold at the UK Police Championships in June, one of the highlights of a mixed season for Reid, who juggled his policing commitments with his athletic ambitions.
He added: “I have had a challenging season, it has been tough and there have been some struggles.
“But it has also been a phenomenal season where I have experienced things I have never experienced before.
“I didn’t get any personal bests but I believe I have had a positive season and I have kept feeling improvement.
“I’ve also been settling into my job in the Metropolitan Police and managing a lot of other things around my athletics.
“I’m proud to work there and to have represented the UK Police team because it has been a very tough year.”
Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, is proud to be championing the next generation of British sporting heroes by providing talented young athletes with financial support and personal development opportunities in partnership with SportsAid. Visit entaingroup.com to find out more
