Abdi Jama

Started: He began the sport at age 17 with the Vikings club in Liverpool, England. (Athlete, 20 Jul 2016; sunrisemedical.co.uk, 01 Jan 2015; sunrisemedical-group.com, 01 Jan 2019) Reason: He had played basketball before his accident and was initially sceptical about playing the wheelchair version. However, British wheelchair basketball player Ade Oregbeni convinced him to try the sport and he found that he liked it. "I chose wheelchair basketball because I already had previous interest in it before my accident. I love the team aspect of it and having teammates. I don't really suit individual sports, I like the comradery that comes with being in a team. As a kid, it gave me another purpose in life after my accident. It gave me confidence and the belief that you can do anything." (bbc.co.uk, 23 Jul 2019, 23 May 2011; sunrisemedical-group.com, 01 Jan 2019) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Facebook page, 14 Jul 2024) Awards: He was a member of Great Britain's wheelchair basketball team that was awarded the Bill McGowran Trophy at the 2018 Sports Journalists' Association's British Sports Awards. (yahoo.com, 23 Dec 2018; sportsjournalists.co.uk, 01 Jan 2020) He was named the Best Newcomer at the 2008 British Wheelchair Sports Awards. (telegraph.co.uk, 23 Mar 2012)