Jade Jones supports athletes at Inter Spinal Unit Games 2015
Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and London 2012 Paralympian Jade Jones attended the 28th Inter Spinal Unit Games at Stoke Mandeville Stadium this week.
On this her first visit to the Games, 19 year old Jade was on hand to support competitors and participants in the art of wheelchair racing. Jade got stuck into the action out on the athletics track, providing advice to new spinal injury patients about getting to grips with racing wheelchairs, she said:
‘It’s mainly practical advice, people who are newly injured and so they’ve not transferred from a normal chair to a racing chair. There are simple things that you don’t really realise can make a massive difference.’
80 athletes attended the 28th Inter Spinal Unit Games on 14 – 16 April. Organised by WheelPower, the national charity for wheelchair sport, the Games are the flagship sports event for people with recent spinal cord injuries to take part and compete in a range of wheelchair sports. Held at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, the birthplace of the Paralympic movement, the event brings together patients from 12 Spinal Unit Centres around the UK and Ireland for a festival of wheelchair sport. With competitive events and have-a-go sessions in 12 sports across two days there was plenty of activities for people to enjoy.
16 year old Laura Mallinson from the Queen Elizabeth Spinal Injuries Unit in Glasgow was the youngest participant at the Games, she said:
‘It’s really great, I like it here. There’s so many great opportunities to discover skills you didn’t know you had. I’ve tried table tennis, fencing, powerlifting, shooting, 9 ball pool and swimming.’
Commenting on the 28th Inter Spinal Unit Games, Paralympian Jade said:
‘It’s been really good, it’s my first time at the Spinal Unit Games, I’ve been to another couple of events, taster days and things and they’ve been really good. But it’s been completely different to what I expected, everyone has been really interested, really want to try out different sports and are keen to give everything a go.’
Internationally recognised as the birthplace of the Paralympic movement, Stoke Mandeville Stadium is the perfect venue for the Inter Spinal Unit Games. Many of the participants have praised the facilities and organisation that has gone into the event.
Event Organiser and WheelPower’s Sport Development Officer, Stewart Jeeves said:
‘Throughout the week all participants have fully embraced their opportunity to have a go at sport. The Games help patients with spinal cord injuries to discover what they can achieve when they engage in sport and physical activity. Many return home full of confidence and desire to continue playing the sport they love in their local area.’
The 28th Inter Spinal Unit Games came to a close on Thursday 16 April with a championship dinner to celebrate a fantastic year for British wheelchair sport. Participants came together alongside coaches, volunteers, event staff, family and friends to recognise the success and achievements of all involved in the Games.
Participating Spinal Units at the Inter Spinal Unit Games included:
- Duke of Cornwall Spinal Unit, Salisbury
- Headley Court, Epsom
- Midlands Centre for Spinal injuries, Oswestry
- National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dun Laoghaire
- National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville
- North of England Spinal Cord Injury Centre, Middlesbrough
- North West Regional Spinal Injuries Centre, Southport
- The Princess Royal Spinal Injuries Unit, Sheffield
- Queen Elizabeth Spinal Injuries Unit, Glasgow
- Royal National orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore
- Yorkshire Regional Spinal Injuries Centre, Pinderfields
- Welsh Spinal Injuries and Neurological Rehabilitation Unit, Cardiff
For more information about the 28th Inter Spinal Unit Games including competition results and Games awards please visit WheelPower website.
