Robyn Love

Started: She began playing the sport at age 23 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Athlete, 20 Jul 2016; scottishstudentsport.com, 04 Oct 2016) Reason: She watched wheelchair basketball at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London and wanted to try the sport. (Athlete, 20 Jul 2016) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. She also hopes to compete in wheelchair tennis at the Paralympic Games or a Grand Slam event. (Instagram profile, 04 Sep 2023; helensburghadvertiser.co.uk, 22 Jun 2023) Awards: She was named in the All-Star Team at the 2023 European Championship in Rotterdam, Netherlands. (Instagram profile, 04 Sep 2023) She was named in The Independent newspaper's 2023 Pride List, which recognises LGBT+ people who contribute to positive change. (independent.co.uk, 05 Jun 2023) Additional Info: RETIREMENT RETHINK She announced her retirement from international wheelchair basketball in 2023, but later reversed her decision and went on to help Great Britain qualify for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. "I have had a lot of questions about my retirement and to be honest I realised that I just needed a break. I was burnt out. Having that short pause, time with my family, with myself, allowed me to re-centre and see through the fog of the past few years. It feels so good to say that I feel like my old self again. Paris here we come." (Instagram profile, 04 Sep 2023; britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk, 17 May 2023) WHEELCHAIR TENNIS She has been Scotland's top-ranked women's wheelchair tennis player and has competed on the ITF Tour. "Tennis has always been my first love. It was the sport I played before any other when I was growing up. I looked into trying to compete in tennis a few times in recent years [speaking in 2023], but you need someone to open doors. The cost of chairs and coaching is difficult to overcome, but Gordon [British wheelchair tennis player Gordon Reid] said I could have his spare one and that was the moment when I decided to go all in with tennis. When I was asked about my dreams when I was young, I always used to say I wanted to be like [British tennis player] Tim Henman at Wimbledon. I had my Slazenger racket and loved watching Henman play. Now it feels like my Wimbledon dream could be possible." (helensburghadvertiser.co.uk, 22 Jun 2023; itftennis.com, 11 Jun 2023; lta.org.uk, 24 Feb 2023) WOMEN'S ACADEMY AMBITIONS In 2021 she was part of the Women's Sports Trust's 'Unlocked' initiative, which aims to increase diversity in sport through workshops and activities. She says one of her long-term goals is to continue to help increase female participation in wheelchair basketball by opening the sport's first all-female academy. "90% of our sport is mixed-gender and I'd like to see more chances for women and girls to train together. I hope to create my own women's wheelchair basketball academy, which is not something that exists anything else in the world. Having the opportunity to play and train with the boys is great, as we will be doing in Loughborough, but it shouldn't be the only option. It has the potential to discourage women wanting to get involved. I feel honoured to be part of 'Unlocked' alongside female athletes I've looked up to for years and it's an incredible opportunity to drive positive change within wheelchair basketball." (ealingtimes.co.uk, 13 Apr 2021)

Sporting Relatives: Her partner Laurie Williams has also represented Great Britain in wheelchair basketball, including at the 2012, 2016, and 2020 editions of the Paralympic Games. (SportsDeskOnline, 06 Dec 2023; Instagram profile, 03 Oct 2023; outsports.com, 23 Feb 2020)