MARTY’S NEXT BIG SHOT
He won silver in the F38 shot put at this year’s Commonwealth Games, now Geelong’s Marty Jackson will take on a new challenge when he represents Australia in the nation’s first ever para ice hockey team in Finland.
GEELONG shot putter Marty Jackson will help Australia slide into a new sport after being selected in the nation’s inaugural para ice hockey team.
Jackson, a Commonwealth Games silver medallist in the F38 shot put event this year, has been training on ice for the past nine months after hearing about try-outs in Melbourne last year.
While Australia did not have a team compete at this year’s PyeongChang Paralympic Winter Games, it will compete for the first time at next month’s world championships in Finland.
“It’s pretty exciting to get out there,” said Jackson, one of 10 selected for the team.
“Most of us have put in 9-12 months of solid training and to be able to get out there on the ice up against China and Finland is some- thing we’ve all been working hard towards. I think we’re looking forward to bring that Aussie physicality to it.
“We might not have the experience under our belts, but there’s certainly an Aussie spirit that you want to get out there.”
Jackson, 40, said his gridiron background with the Geelong Buccaneers had been influential in his transition to ice hockey, in which he will play a role in defence.
“I love my shot put, it’s been great for me and my recovery, but one thing I missed was that team environment.
“I got that at the Commonwealth Games and World Championship tours where you could bring that back, but being part of a team in a week-in week-out scenario and taking on that leadership role and driving guys that perhaps haven’t been in national teams before.”
Jackson, who has partial paralysis in his left leg from the knee down after a shocking gridiron dislocation in 2014, will continue to train for shot put, but will set his sights on helping Australia’s para ice hockey team qualify for the 2022 Beijing Paralympic Games.
“Realistically we’re 12 months ahead of putting an Australian team in, but it’s important for us to get our toes in the water and see where we sit and start our journey,” he said.
“It’s a hard-hitting sport and it’s the kind of sport Aussies are going to love.
“Next year is the World Para-Athletics championships in Dubai, so that (shot put) is something I’ll work on when we get back from the World Para Ice Hockey championships.”
Jackson will be setting up a Go Fund Me account to help assist with more than $5000 worth of team fees and equipment to represent Australia in para ice hockey.