Funmi Oduwaiye

Started: She took up the Para athletics throwing disciplines in 2022. (Instagram profile, 21 Jul 2023) Reason: She had to give up basketball after she acquired her impairment. She was then encouraged to begin throwing as a Para athlete by Anthony Hughes at Disability Sport Wales. "I tried wheelchair basketball for a while, it's a great sport, very challenging as well. However it didn't feel the same as basketball. It's been a hard adjustment, I can't lie. Not just basketball to athletics but also team sport to singular sport. Being an able-bodied athlete to a Para athlete. It wasn't the plan I had in my head, but God works in mysterious ways so he closed one door and opened an even larger one." (itv.com, 05 Sep 2023; bbc.com, 06 Jul 2023) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, and to win a medal at major international competitions. (sport.wales, 08 Mar 2024: womenshealthmag.com, 21 Aug 2024) Additional Info: COACHING She serves as an assistant coach with the Cardiff Met Archers Basketball Club in Wales. "I coach three days a week. At first, it was a way for me to stay involved in basketball but I just love being able to give kids the experiences that I had growing up. I like to make sure they have fun when they're on court." (sport.wales, 08 Mar 2024; X profile, 23 Nov 2023; Paralympics GB X profile, 22 Nov 2023) ROWING INTEREST She originally wanted to try rowing before being encouraged to give Para athletics [throws] a try by her coaches Anthony Hughes and Josh Clark. "They saw me, and they were like, 'No, you're throwing'. I was like, 'Yeah, I kind of wanted to try rowing and see how that goes'. We then started the throwing training, and I said, 'OK, I still want to try it, but I'll do this for now', and we just never did. I've never actually been rowing. I just wanted to try it. I think I'd be good at it though." (womenshealthmag.com, 21 Aug 2024)