"Driven by this sport, I plan to bring home medals, with a lot of hard work and a bit of luck!"
Anna's Story
One cold January morning in Yamagata, Japan, my life ambition to snowboard for Great Britain shattered along with my lower thoracic spine and a few ribs, as I overshot a 30 foot tabletop.In a fraction of a second I became paraplegic.
I have now discovered a whole world of opportunities out there to be seized!
From my hospital bed, I tentatively asked world champion and Paralympic monoskier (sit-skier), Stacey Kohut, about riding powder. His alluring words "You turn when the terrain makes you" conjured blissful visions and sparked new dreams in my mind which was reeling in shock.
"I'll see you in the Paralympics", the surgeon called as he waved goodbye after a month in the Japanese hospital.
"It was incredibly liberating to be back on snow, fully mobile and on a level plain with
able-bodied skiers, I even hit some jumps and rode through the 17ftpipe. Awesome!"
Words I took to heart.
Back On The Slopes
So I raced around Stoke Mandeville, hammered through rehab and soon found myself back on the slopes restricted only by financial issues.I timed the accident well, avoiding missing a season and spent the anniversary of my accident up a mountain in Winter Park, Colorado, learning to monoski thanks to the Back Up Trust. Sliding on snow again, my old, enthusiastic, energetic self was reborn.
It was incredibly liberating to be back on snow, fully mobile and on a level plain with able-bodied skiers, I even hit some jumps and rode through the 17ftpipe. Awesome!
Joining The Team
I skied in France and practiced in the snowdome, where GB coaches saw potential and I was picked for the GB development squad.I started training with the team on the pre-season training camp in Austria and spent the season training and racing in Canada.
Team GB 2008
Driven by this sport, I plan to bring home medals, with a lot of hard work and a bit of luck!