Stefanie Reid
I have always been athletic. I grew up playing all sorts of sports, but my favourite was rugby. It had always been my goal to try out for the national rugby team.
After the accident I was devastated. I was torn between being incredibly grateful to be alive, and very angry and upset that I had lost my leg. I thought I had lost the ability to do what I loved most in life, play sports. I found it hard to accept that I was always going to be different.
I soon forgot about sport and threw myself into my studies. I went to University to study biochemistry. A few weeks into my course I spotted the athletics team training from my bedroom window.
Something inside me just clicked and I wanted to know how fast I run. I gave the coach a call, explained the situation, and he said I was welcome to try, and if I worked hard and was able to keep up, then he wouldn’t cut me from the team.
It was very hard showing up for that first practice. I have never done sprinting before, and I was going to have to learn how on a new prosthetic leg in front of athletes who had been doing it for years. It was very intimidating.
It exhausted me to the point where I could barely move. I trained for 4 years with that team, then I was finally ready to travel with them to compete.
In my final year, I received my first international invitation to compete in meet. I was so excited. I finished 4th, but I came away from that knowing that I wanted more! I have been training hard since then…
Do you think that the Olympics and Paralympics should be run separately or as one event?
Combining the Olympics and Paralympics would demonstrate to the public and the press the quality and athleticism of Paralympic athletes. But logistically, I just don’t think it is possible to put on an event with 15000+ athletes, in addition to the coaching and support staff. That is one of the major reasons why they are separate events.
The Paralympics is a unique event. It is very special in that is celebrates both athletic achievement, and the overcoming of physical challenges. Some people think that we should ignore the physical challenges, and just focus on athletic achievement, like they do in the Olympics – this is what will make the Paralympics more legitimate as a sport.
The stories of the athletes are powerful and should be celebrated. I worry if the Paralympics and Olympics were combined, this unique aspect of the Paralympics would be overshadowed.
Do you believe the Olympics get more publicity? How was it filming ‘Inside Icredible Athletes’?
The Olympics definitely gets more publicity. But you have to keep things in perspective. The Paralympic movement is still developing. We have come a long way in the past 20 years. It used to be the case that you could train a couple of times a week for a year, and make a Paralympic team. Now, you have to train full time for 4+ years, to even have a chance. The quality of the athletes has been steadily improving, and this will lead to improved interest and coverage.
I had so much fun doing the filming. It was hard work, and took a long time, but it was definitely worth it! I was very proud to be part of a documentary that did such a great job of showing how hard Paralympians work, and how skilled they really are.
If you did not have a physical disability, would you still be an Athlete?
If I didn’t have a disability I would have still gone into sport, but I would have been a rugby player instead!
How do you think Politics affects sport?
Politics can a have a positive or negative impact on sports. Sports represent a very powerful way to develop citizens with healthy character, respect, and integrity. It can also be used to unite nations and prevent wars, increase understanding among different ethnic groups, and keep young people engaged and off the streets and out of gangs.It comes down to whether or not political powers believe in the value of sport, and are willing to fund it and provide the necessary infrastructure.
What message would you give to young people who have lost sight of their dream?
I think that life is best viewed as an adventure, not an exercise in perfection. Success should be measured by how far you have come from where you started.I have learned many things in my 7 year journey. I learned failure is OK and it is part of the process. If I am not failing 50% of the time, then I am doing things that are too easy for me. I learned that talent only gets you so far. What really matters is how hard you work. There are no shortcuts to success. It just takes time. I decide what is possible or impossible.
I thought it would be impossible to jump over 5m. This summer I set the World Record for female leg amputees at 5.09m. I am now keeping an open mind. I now think it may be possible for me to go over 6m!
