Sophie Carrigill

Started: She began the sport at age 17 playing for Leeds Spiders in England. (Athlete, 20 Jul 2016; sunrisemedical.co.uk, 01 Jan 2016; highteahoops.com, 19 Feb 2021) Reason: She had taken part in similar sports before her injury, such as netball. She wanted to play a team sport and the local wheelchair basketball club was down the road from where she lived. "After going on a course in the Lake District with the charity Back Up, my competitive nature came flooding back to me. We were doing activities like rock climbing, abseiling, canoeing and with every new challenge I faced, I overcame it and wanted to be the best at it. I learnt how to adapt, how to view myself as differently abled not disabled and the course showed me that I could do anything I put my mind to. It shaped me into who I am today and the way I choose to live my life. Soon after I got back from the course, I signed up to join my local wheelchair basketball team. I'd never seriously played basketball before, never mind in a chair, so at first, I found it so difficult. I'd really gone back to the basics and actually that was psychologically harder than it was physically. But I didn't give up." (Athlete, 20 Jul 2016; sunrisemedical.co.uk, 01 Jan 2016; sophiecarrigill.com, 31 May 2020; bbc.co.uk, 04 Aug 2020) Ambition: To win a medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Evelina Hospital School YouTube channel, 08 Jul 2024) Awards: In 2021 she was named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list of notable individuals under age 30 in the sports and games category. (forbes.com, 01 Apr 2021) In 2012 she was a torch bearer during the Olympic torch relay ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. (highteahoops.com, 19 Feb 2021) Additional Info: RIO DISAPPOINTMENT She nearly missed out on competing at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro after suffering a ruptured bowel. She managed to recover in time to compete at the Games. "At the start of 2016, I suffered a ruptured bowel and needed an operation which put my Paralympic place in doubt. The thought that the last four years could be taken away from me was devastating. I did everything I could to be in the best shape possible to be selected. When I made it, it was such a relief and made my Rio experience special because I thought I might not make it. Out of my bedroom window in the Paralympic Village, I could see the park and that feeling was so special. As a child, sport had been a big part of my life and now to be representing my country on the biggest stage was magical. We reached the semifinals for the first time but lost to the US, who went on to win gold, and were then beaten in the bronze medal match by the Netherlands. Rio was bitter-sweet because we went there hoping to get to the semifinals and we did that, but we were so close to winning a medal. I don't want to come fourth again and it is definitely why I train and persevere now." (bbc.co.uk, 04 Aug 2020; countypress.co.uk, 27 Jan 2021) FURTHER EDUCATION She has completed a bachelor's degree in sport and exercise psychology at the University of Worcester and a master's degree in the same field at Sheffield Hallam University. (LinkedIn profile, 01 Mar 2018; X profile, 27 Feb 2019)