After becoming paralysed from the chest down due to an adverse reaction to a travel vaccination, I had two options on what to do next: do I sit at home all day feeling sorry for myself? Or do I utilise my newly found upper body strength to do something life changing? Needless to say, it didn’t take long too come to a conclusion and since I have become paralysed I have abseiled down the Spinnaker Tower for charity, ridden horses, surfed, kayaked and built two extensions. I have also always been a keen lifelong swimmer and my paralysis has not changed that; if anything, it’s only made me more determined to be "The Best". My partner is a keen triathlete and it was he who initially gave me the idea to get into para-triathlon. We ordered a racing wheelchair, however due to the extortionate shipping cost to the Isle of  Wight the racing chair had to be delivered to the Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth instead. Was it fate? Destiny? Meant to be? I think so, for it was here I met Paul Smith OBE who is now my racing coach. It was on that first meeting that Paul commented on my raw ability and potential for international level and convinced me to condense all of my efforts into wheelchair racing. I’ve long been a fan of the Paralympics and Invictus Games, and knowing that maybe one day I could follow in the footsteps of Hannah Cockroft and David Weir – it’s a heady thought! But I need your help to do it.

My current chair is extremely basic and is simply not capable of pulling the time and speeds I need in order to progress so the majority (£3584) of my target will be going towards an Invacare Top End Eliminator racing chair, a machine that is simply the best of the best whilst the remaining £318 will be going towards two pairs of Harness racing gloves (£159 apiece).

If any companies wish to donate to my cause, I am more than willing to aid you with promotional material.

As well as wheelchair racing, I am a member of The Isle of Wight’s only triathlon club, Wight Tri where I have the privilege of being the club’s first para triathlete. I aim to become their disability ambassador where - through publicising my efforts – I hope to make disability sport more well-known and widespread on the Island and ultimately create an ongoing event exclusively for wheelchair athletes.

** My first official race was an inaugural one mile wheelchair race for the Great South Run on 21st October 2017; I came in 1st place with a new PB of 6 mins 58!

** On 26th March I was astonished to receive a High Sherriff's Award for Outstanding Achievement! To be recognised and counted amongst 30 other young Islanders who have faced adversity, trauma and illness is arguably the most AWESOME moment of my life so far. I cannot thank Wight Tri enough for nominating me and I hope that this gives me a wider platform to encourage and support disability sporting opportunities on the Isle of Wight.

** On 28th May 2018 I WON my first ever para super sprint event at the Arctic One Tri and Para Tri Festival at Dorney Lake! In ideal conditions, I exited the 400m swim in first place with a time of 7.28 and after a speedy transition, took off onto the 10K 2 lap bike circuit in which I maintained the lead for 1.5 laps. 27 minutes and 11 seconds later, I was back in transition ready to take on the 2.5K run which I completed in 12.49. I came first in my category with a time of 50 minutes 50 seconds!!

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