Julie all set for her own para-games challenge
LATEST ACTION FROM LONDON 2012 – PAGES 4,5
the length of Loch Shiel, in the Highlands.
She is a keen advocate of outdoor sports for people with disabilities and has led two Wilderness Weekends in rural Scotland to offer the opportunity to access the great outdoors.
But Julie, who is also taking part in the Great Scottish Run 10K this weekend in Glasgow, thinks the para-sports project will be her toughest challenge yet.
She said: “It is the fear of not knowing what to expect on the mammoth task – it will require a different mindset in comparison to other challenging projects I have taken on in the past, but I relish the opportunity.
“One half of me is thinking, ‘I’m petrified’ because I just don’t know what will be in front of me. The challenge will be further emphasised by my disability and deafness.
“On the other hand, it is incredibly exciting to be part of the Glasgow 2014 project showcasing the para-sports that will be performed. “This is once in a lifetime opportunity and will shape my adult life again.”
Glasgow 2014 will be the first time track cycling has been a parasport at the Commonwealth Games. It will provide medal opportunities for vision-impaired athletes to compete alongside able-bodied team members at the new Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.
The integrated approach planned for the Games, which was pioneered at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, will mean athletes with disabilities will compete alongside able-bodied athletes in equivalent events at the top venues.
In total, there will be 22 fully integrated medal events, including four new cycling events and two extra in powerlifting.
Julie, who is studying for a PhD in Assistive Technology at the University of the West Of Scotland, said she believed integration would shape the public’s attitude to what disabled people can do.
Videos documenting Julie’s progress are available at: www. glasgow2014.com.
You can view a video showing Julie talking about the challenge and her experience carrying the Olympic Torch in Glasgow.