Olympic Flame countdown for local athletes

The torchbearers chosen to represent Orkney Islands Council when the Olympic Flame arrives in the county in June are international athlete William Sichel and Orkney hockey team captain Inga Kemp.

Both have expressed their delight at being nominated by the council’s Olympic Torch Board, which brings together a number of the key agencies and organisations involved in planning for the Olympic Torch Relay’s time in Orkney.

William, from Sanday, has set multiple ultra distance running records at World, British and Scottish level in events ranging from 12-hours to 1,000 miles.

Inga, from Deerness, is a netball and hockey player who took part in her first Junior Inter County in 2004 aged 14. At junior level, she served as Orkney’s netball, hockey and overall team captain.

Now 22, Inga has also represented the county in both sports at senior level since 2006 and is the current Orkney hockey team captain.