Physio Rhys misses out on spectacular
A WELSH physio is currently experiencing the Olympic Games in Rio as one of the key members of the Great Britain swimming squad.
Rhys Shorney, right, might be basking in the sunshine in Brazil, but the 39-year-old lecturer within Cardiff University’s School of Healthcare Sciences is currently holed up in Team GB’s swimming training camp in Belo Horizonte and missed the spectacular opening ceremony on Friday night.
“Swimming never really attends because it’s always one of the first events,” said Rhys, who lives in Caerphilly with wife, Fay, a PE Teacher at Howell’s School in Cardiff, and their two children, Ruby, nine, and Devon, eight.
“It can be frustrating. Everybody wants to attend because it’s such a spectacular event.”
As well as working within Cardiff University’s School of Healthcare Sciences, Rhys is also clinical lead for its sports injury service Inspire Performance, which is located in the Talybont Sports Village and specialises in sports injury management.
In addition, he has become a key member of British Swimming’s backroom team – attending two world championships with British Swimming, the Commonwealth Games with Team Wales, and was selected to attend the London Olympics as part of Team GB.
Wales has qualified four swimmers to the Olympic squad – Jazz Carlin, Georgia Davies, Ieaun Lloyd and Chloe Tutton – two of whom are based in Cardiff.
He said: “I work regularly with Ieuan, who is in his second Olympics and will compete in the 200m Freestyle Relay, and Chloe, who is making her first appearance in a games for the senior team. “She has done brilliantly and will most probably compete in both the 100m and 200m breaststroke.” Although the Olympics swimming event got under way this weekend, Rhys has been at Team GB’s swimming base since July 22 and will stay in Brazil until August 9. Understandably, he pointed out, there are some differences between the games in London in 2012 and those in Rio. “The home games was much more straightforward, more accessible. In Brazil there is obviously the language barrier and food differences. “The Olympics is such a special place to be and I’m enjoying every minute of it.” The Olympic Games run until August 21.