GRANT WANTS TO INSPIRE OTHERS
HE captured the hearts of Australians with his antics in post-race interviews, but there is another side to Cairns dual Paralympic medallist and loveable larrikin Grant “Scooter” Patterson.
The 32-year-old swimmer wrapped up his Tokyo campaign on Friday, which included taking home the bronze in the 150m medley SM3 and the silver in the 50m breastroke SB2, and said he was overwhelmed with the support he had recieved from back home.
“I’m so humbled and privileged to have so much support not just in Cairns but all around Australia,” he said.
“I’ve had a lot of people congratulate me and mention they loved me in the post-race interviews, which is pretty cool, but that’s just me. Everyone thinks I’m putting on a thing, but really that’s me all the time – I carry on like a mad hatter and enjoy life too much.”
Patterson said while he was still coming to grips with his newfound status as a role model, he was embracing it.
“All I wanted to do when I left school was fit into society with everyone else – get a job, get a house, maybe one day find a bird – I’m still searching,” he said.
“But with me ticking off those accomplishments, I understand that I inspire a lot of other people out there to get into their hobbies or pursue their sporting dreams – or whatever it is that they are trying to achieve.
“I’ve had a lot of people with disabilities and people with my disorder, diastrophic dysplasia, get in contact and I made sure to give them my number so when I get back to Australia they can ring up and have a chat.
“They can talk about stuff that they might not know is possible, and just ask me whatever they want, because when I was a little kid I didn’t have anyone to talk to, and with me doing what I’ve done in the last week, I think I owe it to everyone that supported me to answer their questions or just to say hello and show my love back to them.”
As for his new medals, Patterson said it’s “straight to the pool room”.
“I haven’t got one yet but I’ll have to make one,” he said.
Patterson will depart Tokyo next week and complete a 14-day quarantine in Sydney before returning to Cairns.