‘I dropped out of sport in school, now I’m aiming to be a Paralympian'
Megan, 16, from Leeds was registered profoundly sight impaired / blind as a ten-year old child due to a hereditary retinal dystrophy. Now, thanks to discovering goalball, she has now been selected to represent Great Britain in Finland.
‘I dropped out of sport in school because I couldn’t see; now I’m aiming to be a Paralympian.'
Megan's visual impairment meant that some subjects in her previous high school were difficult to access even with assistance. She decided to withdraw from sport and PE even though it was something she loved from a young age.
In September 2018, Megan enrolled at The Royal National College for the Blind (RNC), highlighting her need to improve her independence, such as kitchen skills and mobility. Also, needing to learn how to use speech software on a PC and read and write in braille.
Since then, Megan has also been introduced to sports specifically for those with a visual impairment. One sport in particular, goalball, has re-enthused her interest and given her the opportunity to compete on a level playing field with other visual impaired players.
‘I dropped sport in school because I couldn’t see, but at RNC I have started playing again. It has given me the belief that if I focus I really can achieve something. I didn’t think it would be possible because of my sight loss until I came here.’
Megan has recently been involved in a Great Britain Youth Camp and played competitive fixtures against Israel. GB Goalball Women’s Head Coach, Aaron Ford praised Megan on how quickly she picked up the sport.
‘Megan is a natural athlete, hardworking and is very confident working under a blindfold. When you combine that with her fantastic attitude and willingness to learn she has real potential. I am excited about taking her to Finland to participate with the Women’s Senior Team, it will be a great experience and help with her development.’
The next Paralympics is in Tokyo 2020, but Megan is not getting too carried away.
‘I have only been playing for eight weeks so it is too soon to think I can be that good, but I’m going to keep trying my best.’
