Laurie Williams

Started: She began the sport at age 12 in Manchester, England. (Athlete, 20 Jul 2016) Reason: She was scouted while participating in wheelchair racing at the Greater Manchester Youth Games, and was asked to try wheelchair basketball. She fell in love with the physical and team aspects of the sport. "The [school] athletics club entered me into the Greater Manchester Youth Games because, at the time, they had a small disability sport section. I went there and did a few races, and then I met a wheelchair basketball coach and she was like, 'You need to come down and try basketball, it's a lot better than this!' I'd never done anything with other children with physical disabilities, so to be on a court with other kids who were disabled in some way was really nice. It was good for my parents as well, because they got to chat with other parents and learn from them. It opened my eyes to what I could do and what I should be doing." (Athlete, 20 Jul 2016; paralympics.org.uk, 01 Oct 2016; divamag.co.uk, 24 Mar 2020) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Instagram profile, 11 Jul 2024) Awards: She was named as a member of the All Star team at the 2020 Osaka Cup in Osaka, Japan. (wheelchairbasketball.ca, 16 Feb 2020) She received the Junior Female Achievement award at the 2009 Wheelpower Awards. (telegraph.co.uk, 30 Nov 2009) Additional Info: MOTHERHOOD In 2023 she gave birth to her daughter Alba. Four months after giving birth, she played alongside her partner Robyn Love at the 2023 European Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands, where Great Britain won silver. The result secured the British team's qualification for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. "Growing a tiny human, recovering from a c-section [Caesarean section] and continuing to breastfeed is incredibly challenging. Physically it will take a long time to get back to where I was pre-pregnancy but I'm so grateful I get the opportunity to help the team get to Paris. I think, to get to Paris and to compete, I'll be satisfied, because I know how much I've already achieved. When you win, it's not all about winning a medal, like there's so many different ways you can win in life, and I think having Alba is one of them." (Instagram profile, 23 Aug 2023, 03 Aug 2023; britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk, 16 Aug 2023; skysports.com, 01 Jun 2023) FURTHER EDUCATION From 2013 to 2015 she studied for a master's degree in human environmental sciences at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL, United States of America. (LinkedIn profile, 01 Jun 2023)

Sporting Relatives: Her partner Robyn Love has also represented Great Britain in wheelchair basketball, including at the 2016 and 2020 editions of the Paralympic Games, and has played wheelchair tennis on the ITF Tour. (SportsDeskOnline, 06 Dec 2023; Robyn Love Instagram profile, 03 Oct 2023; itftennis.com, 11 Jun 2023; outsports.com, 23 Feb 2020)