EXCLUSIVE: ParalympicGB stars Jack Smith, Stuart Robinson and Rob Davies speak to OK! about heading to Paris 2024 as well as their journeys to the Paralympic games
With the Paralympics underway, OK! speaks to three athletes who are heading to the iconic city as part of ParalympicsGB, including Jack Smith who is part of Great Britain’s wheelchair rugby team.
After my accident, I met a guy in hospital from the local club and he knew my background playing rugby and asked if I wanted to go down and give it a go, so I did. At the time I could barely push a chair so when I went to the sports hall, I was just sitting there thinking how I was going to be able to do it. I thought ‘I'm so far off from anything here’. But being around people and being back in that sports environment gave me a competitive edge and I wanted to get better and better.
If it wasn't an accident, I don't think I'd be here. I always liked sports, but I wasn’t good enough at anything to be an Olympian. In that sense, again, it's kind of fortunate that my accident opened that door. It’s been a long journey that’s not been plain sailing all the time, there’s been a lot of knockbacks but it’s all worthwhile.”
I didn’t know much about wheelchair rugby, but I came from a rugby background. It ticked all the boxes. Not just for a new career, but it was something to get me active again. I thought I’d give it a go and the snowball started from there. I was in rehab when I saw a poster advertising the first-ever Invictus Games and the next thing I know I’m at a training camp. This was the first time I’d seen the sport or ever played it, so I wanted to make an impression.
The National Lottery has been a massive support. It’s allowed us to be funded athletes so we can immerse ourselves into training programmes which in turn creates stronger, fitter athletes.”
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