Paralympics: Be Inspired- Activities Unlimited

Suffolk athletes and paralympians

There are some fantastic disabled athletes in Suffolk – many of whom are aiming for the London 2012 Paralympics. Here we meet two…

Brian Alldis

Brian Alldis was born with a serious spinal condition and is one of our best paralympians. He lives in Bury St Edmunds and splits his time between training in the mornings and working for St Edmundsbury Borough Council in the afternoons.

“I love wheelchair racing. I started when I was 12 years old and my classmates fundraised to buy me a racing chair. I do between 6 and 20 miles each morning as well as two hours swimming and two hours in the gym each week. I’ve done four London marathons and went to the Beijing Olympics last year. It was an amazing experience and I’m now focussing on London 2012.”

Sam Honour

Not only has Sam Honour won national swimming races but he’s also a talented sailor. He competes in two types of boats – a squib keelboat and a Challenger trimaran. On top of this, and going to college, he teaches swimming and sailing on a voluntary basis.

“Both sailing and swimming have helped improve my confidence and my social skills. I started sailing when I was eight and swimming when I was 12. I love teaching – there’s real personal satisfaction in helping people learn new skills and become more independent. I’d encourage anyone with a disability to find out what activities are out there, give as many a go as you can until you find something you love. Who knows what will happen after that.”