Success!
3 August 2015
Hi everyone,
Thank you so much to all who have made getting this new rugby chair a success! The chair has been built and has been broken in, in a good way.
She also has a name, Anna - after Anna Kendrick of course! She is much more solid and looks petite compared to my old chair, Betsie, which has been retired.
Since getting the chair I have played a round in Australia for Queensland against a number of the world's best players, where Anna and I combined well - making our future together look bright. We also combined recently for some domestic wheelchair rugby where my Waikato team finished runners-up.
Recently also I competed at the IPC Swimming World Championships where I finished second, out touched on the final length by a young Russian. Disappointing not to get the gold but the time I did was the fastest I've done since 2012 and just .5 off my personal best. Fortunately the loss comes a year out from London, so now I can work on the areas of my race that need working on and hopefully bring home the gold next year.
From now, the Wheel Blacks have a few more months of build up towards our chance to qualify for the 2016 Rio Paralympics. We have a big month in October as we compete in London and then in Japan (the qualifying competition).
Here is a picture of Anna and I having a good time as we get to know each other on court.
Again, thanks so much for the support! It really has been a humbling process for me, to know there are so many people out there willing to help and cheering me on is both surprising and comforting.
P.S. If anyone is in Christchurch and wants to see Anna and I in action, we are competing there next month.
