Ellie Simpson
Rosie, Grace & Ellie's Superhero Series at Home page
Fundraising for Cerebral Palsy Sport
Story
Pow! We are taking part in the 'Superhero Series at Home' between 15th June-15th July 2020 for CP Sport.
All 3 girls have Cerebral Palsy and are completing 20km as a team.
Ellie - Team Leader:
I am 25-years-old and I have Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy. I first got involved with CP Sport in 2014 when I attended their Athletics Series to compete in the Club Throw. In 2015 I was at a CP Sport Athletics Series for the Club Throw when I saw this 'thing' hurtling down the track - I wasn't sure what it was but I knew I wanted a go! It turned out to be a RaceRunner and I went along to the next CP Sport RaceRunning Taster Day. I knew right away that it was the sport for me and I got my own RaceRunner.
Later that year, CP Sport selected me as the first female RaceRunner to compete for England at the World Cerebral Palsy Games. I won Double Gold at the Games and it it was an incredible experience for my first international competition. It also set me up very well for future international competition.
I have since represented Great Britain and I won Silver at the World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai in 2019. I also broke the 200m world record in July 2019. Without the support and opportunities given to me (and continue to give me) by CP Sport I would have not managed to reach my full potential.
CP Sport has also enabled me to make great friendships and has helped me to become a more confident person.
I am very proud to be an Ambassador for CP Sport and I cannot wait to do the Superhero Challenge for them. Thank you CP Sport and thank you to everyone who sponsors!
Rosie - Superhero Sidekick:
My name is Rosie and I am 13 years old. I was diagnosed just before my 2nd birthday with mild Spastic Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy; although my left side is more affected. I also have Learning Difficulties, Autism, ADHD and a Visual Impairment.
I have found learning new things more difficult than other people and school has always and continues to be a challenge for me. Having Cerebral Palsy means my balance is not always great so learning to ride a bike was difficult but I managed to do that fairly recently! I found learning to swim hard due to coordination issues and things like using a knife to cut food and being able to tie shoe laces have been a challenge for me. I do get tired quite quickly and my legs can be quite painful at night but I never give up!
The Doctors did not think I would ever walk but I managed to do so with the use of a frame and eventually with lots of physio and support I took my first steps. I joined my local Special Olympics when I was 7 years old and became part of their athletics team. In 2017 I went to their National Games in Sheffield where I won silver in the 100m. I was classified as a T38 Para Athlete last year and a few months later I took part in my first CP Sport competition in Doncaster where I broke the age group record in the T38 200m event. I currently train with a local club and I am now part of the British Athletics Paralympic Development Academy and my goal is to represent Great Britain in the Paralympics one day.
Grace - Superhero Sidekick:
I am 15 years old and I live in Jersey, Channel Islands. I am a T35 sprinter and I won Bronze in the 100 & 200m at the 2018 Cerebral Palsy World Games.
I am the CP Sport U14 100m record holder and I was a member of England South West Schools Squad 2018. In 2019, I represented Great Britain at the IPC Grand Prix in Switzerland.
I am World Ranked 2nd U17 by the International Paralympic Committee.
I started athletics aged 12 via the CP Sport Athletics Series, which was a fantastic introduction and it allowed me to progress towards International representation. CP Sport is the friendly games, I have made so many friends and I am missing them all this season!