Success story
Kinghorn glad to be known for elite deeds
THE BACK story is not something Sammi Kinghorn will ever shy away from. She understands the power of an inspirational tale in spreading the Paralympic brand into new territory.
But Scotland’s leading wheelchair racer is more than just a girl who suffered a tragic accident.
She’s a world-record holder, a medal hopeful in at least two of the four events she has been selected to take part in at next month’s World Championships.
And, not to put too fine a point on it, the 21-year-old deserves to be recognised for what she now is: an elite athlete in her own right.
‘When I first started the sport, my main aim was that, when someone Googles me, they’ll find what I’m doing now — and not what happened to me,’ Kinghorn told Sportsmail.
‘That’s what happens now. When I Google myself, it’s a list of my achievements, not my accident.
‘That will always be part of my story and I’m very proud of where I’ve come from. I’m quite open and happy to talk about it.
‘But I don’t want people to look at me and think: “Oh what a shame, what happened to her?”. I want people to look at me and think: “Wow, isn’t she an amazing and incredible athlete?”. I think that’s starting to happen now, which is great.
‘I was in a taxi the other day and the driver was asking me really indepth questions about the sport.
‘A couple of years ago, if I’d told a taxi driver I was an athlete, they would have said: “Oh, that’s really nice. Do you train a couple of times a week?”. But this guy was asking me about my power output, my speeds, everything. He was genuinely interested in it as an elite sport.’
Last month’s world recordbreaking sprint over 200metres in Arizona was just the most obvious indicator of improvement across the board this season, with Kinghorn setting new personal bests across all distances.
Part of her improvement can be attributed to increased strength and stamina. Another winter in the gym, as she puts it.
But Kinghorn, who ended up in a wheelchair after a horrific winter accident at her family’s Borders farm back in 2010, freely admits that a new piece of kit has also played a part.
‘I got a new chair that I spent a lot of time designing myself,’ she revealed.
‘I’ve only been in the sport for four years, so I’m just learning not to copy other people. It’s easy just to send your measurements down and get a chair sent up. So I got the new chair in February and it has helped a lot.
‘I get mine made by a company in Loughborough. I drew it, showed them how I wanted it, took photos of chairs from other athletes around the world.
‘They understood what I wanted in terms of weight and being more aerodynamic.
‘I was quite fussy. I want to know that I can’t blame anyone but myself if it’s not right! Of course I asked for a special paint job. Why wouldn’t you? It’s pink and white, quite unique, my own design.’
With the new chair and a few new muscles to show for her winter’s work, Kinghorn is still adjusting to her role as one of the favourites — certainly in the 200 — in London.
‘I still think I’m this girl who has just started and nobody knows who I am,’ she admitted.
‘I have to remember that I’m now seen as one of the ones to beat.
‘It’s very strange to look at my name on the world rankings and see it at No 1.
‘I still feel I should be like tenth, trying to aim for the top girls. Now I’m in the mix with the top girls.
‘But it is amazing. When I was racing in Switzerland recently, all those top girls were chasing me — I wasn’t chasing them any more.
‘I’m so looking forward to London, all of the events. I’ve got three races in one day, hopefully, on the last day — the 100m heat, 100m final and 800m final.
‘I raced in six events in one day recently, so I’m used to it.
‘My biggest issue is how I cope mentally, being nervous and trying not to be nervous for the whole 12 hours of the day.
‘I’m so lucky to have had three home events — Glasgow 2014, the Europeans in Swansea and now London this summer. It actually feels weird competing away from home!
‘I watched London 2012 and always wanted to be down there on that track. It’s amazing to think that I’m getting this chance.
‘I train twice a day, six days a week, and I really work on speed endurance.
‘The hardest thing is getting the chair moving. You need strong arms to get it moving.
‘But, after that, it’s all about speed endurance, going as fast as I can for as long as I can.
‘You know, all my events are fast. The 800m is seen as a sprint in wheelchair racing.
‘It doesn’t feel like it when you’re doing it! But it takes so long to get the chair up to speed that, once you get that, it’s about going flat out for the whole event.
‘I do a lot of tempo work but, going into London, it will be about speed.
‘My main chances of getting into finals and getting a high finish are the 100 and 200, so that’s where I’m focusing my work.’
Kinghorn moved to train in Glasgow recently, which means working in the gym at the Emirates — but also getting out and about for sessions on Glasgow Green and at Bellahouston Park.
It’s fair to see that she attracts a bit of attention. For all the right reasons.
‘I do get recognised now, especially by children, because a lot of schools are looking at the Paralympics and para sport these days,’ she admitted.
‘When I go round the track, the kids love it, they’re so wowed by it. They should be interested, because it is pretty cool — and I’m going pretty fast!’