Joy Haizelden

Started: She began the sport at age 14 in Southampton, England. (Athlete, 20 Jul 2016) Reason: She felt left out of physical education lessons at school and her father wanted her to get active, so he found an afternoon club where they held weekly training sessions. "Initially, the sport provided me with an opportunity to stay active whilst meeting other people living with disabilities. From there I received an invitation to a GB development camp at the age of 14, where I came to the realisation that I wanted to represent Team GB at the Paralympic Games. Several camps later and I attended the 2014 World Championships in Toronto." (Athlete, 20 Jul 2016; accessyourlife.co.uk, 24 Jul 2020) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Instagram profile, 10 Jul 2024) Awards: She was named in the All-Star 5 at the European championship in 2023, 2019, and 2017, and at the 2019 World U25 Championship in Suphanburi, Thailand. (British Wheelchair Basketball Instagram profile, 18 Aug 2023; bamaadapted.com, 01 Sep 2023; British Wheelchair Basketball Facebook page, 28 May 2019) She was named Young Female Player of the Year at the 2013 National Junior Championships in Great Britain. (thebritchallenge.org.uk, 01 Jan 2022) Additional Info: FROM PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA TO ENGLAND Born in the People's Republic of China, she was adopted from an orphanage at age six by a couple from Southampton, England, who were carrying out missionary work in the People's Republic of China when they met her. "I was incredibly emotional when my carers in China left me for the first time with my adoptive parents. I couldn't stop crying. My Chinese passport photo, which was taken a few days later after the carers dropped me off, was a photo of me having tears in my eyes, and I looked visibly upset. So, I guess it must have been an upsetting experience because everything in my life was changed." (telegraph.co.uk, 21 May 2023; Athlete, 20 Jul 2016) FURTHER EDUCATION She has studied for a bachelor's degree in health and human science at the University of Sheffield in England. She then studied for a master's degree in health education and promotion at the University of Alabama in the United States of America and began studying for a PhD in health education and promotion at the same university in 2023. (LinkedIn profile, 10 Jul 2024; rollt-magazin.de, 07 Apr 2021; Instagram profile, 05 Apr 2021)

Sporting Relatives: Her sister Miriam was part of the GB Futures wheelchair basketball training camp in 2014. (dailymail.co.uk, 06 Mar 2015)