I began cycling in October 2004 after seeing a post Athens Paralympic interview with Claire McLean (Silver Medalist) where Claire said Australia needed more female Para-cyclists. At the time I was a swimmer and was doing very well. I competed both through school to CHS Level and out of school to National Level but felt that there was something greater out there for me and decided I needed a change. So in October 2004 the day of the Welcome Home Parade for our Athens Paralympians I met with Tom Skulander and started cycling at the Dunc Gray Velodrome with Tom as my coach. My progress was slow to begin with because with Cerebellar Ataxia and Gross Motor Retardation my balance is not really good and I often had shakiing attacks but eventually I improved and in 2006 was selected in the NSW team to compete at the National Track Championships in Adelaide. I had only one event the 500m Time Trial but I came away with the Silver Medal and a smile from ear to ear. I was once again selected in the NSW Team for the 2007 National Track Championships held in Sydney this time I would compete in two events. In the 500m Time Trial I got the Gold Medal and broke the CP3 World Record (unofficially as my classification needed to be sanctioned internationally) I did a Personal Best Time in the 3000m Individual Pursuit and got the Gold Medal. I was then selected in the Australian Team to ride at the Arafura/Oceania Paralympic Games Road Races in Darwin in May 2007 where I rode in a combined class and achieved 3 Bronze Arafura and 3 Bronze Oceania Medals from here I was selected to represent Australia at the UCI Para-cylcling World Championships in Bordeaux, France in August 2007 where I got my CP3 International Classification. I went on to break the CP3 500m Time Trial World Record (officially) rode a personal best time in the 3000m Individual Pursuit and finished both the 19.8 and the 47.7km Road Races. In 2007 I was a finalist in the Womensports Sue Fear Courage and Achievement Award, a finalist in the International Day of People with a Disability Award and a finalist in the NSW Sports Federation Junior Athlete with a Disability Award. In 2008 I was named Blacktown City Young Citizen of the Year. I again represented NSW at the National Track Championships in the 500m Time Trial I broke my own World Record and received Gold both this and the 3000m Individual Pursuit which led me to being named AWD Champion of Champions for the Championships. I next represented Australia at the Paralympic Word Cup in Manchester UK and the Newport Grand Prix in Wales. In June 2008 I was named in the Australian Paralympic Team or the Beijng Paralympic Games here I again broke the CP3 500m Time Trial World Record and received the Bronze Medal (combined class events) I rode a 17 second Personal Best Time in the 3000m Individual Pursuit to go into the Bronze Medal ride off unfortunately missing out on a second Bronze Medal by half a second to come in 4th Place. I placed 8th in the 20km Road Time Trial. After returning from Beijing I was awarded the Mathew Hayden Contribution to the Community Award, the Government of NSW Community Service Award and was named as a finalist in the Australian Cyclist of the Year Award Para-cyclist Category. In February 2009 I was named Blacktown City Sportsperson of the Year for 2008, named a finalist for the NSW Sports Federation Annual Awards in the Junior Athlete with a Disability Category In May 2009 I sat on the Panel for the International Paralympic Womens Sports Summit in Darwin .At the National Road Time Trial in Mooball I got the Gold Medal but aggravated my knee injury so I missed out on the UCI Para-cycling Road Championships in Italy in September 2009 but I made the team for the UCI Para-cycling Track Championships held in Manchester UK in November 2009 where I got the Silver medal in the 500m Time Trial, I also was reclassified under the new system to a C1 making me the only Female of this class in the World. I was again named as a Finalist for the NSW Sports Federation 2009 Athlete with a Disability of the Year and Australian Cyclist of the Year in the Parcycling Category. At the National Track Championships in Adelaide in February 2010 I achieved a Gold Medal in the 500m TT and the 3000m IP and at the National Road Championships in Queensland in April I achieved Gold in both the Road TT and the Road Race these results have secured my selection in both the Road an Track Teams for the UCI Paracycling World CHampionships competing later in 2010. I am a Premier's Sporting Challenge Ambassador, a Paralympic Education Program Ambassador, a Northcott Disability Services Ambassador, a Team Toyota Foundation Member, a Member of the New South Wales Institute of Sport Elite Athlete Program and I have just been made a Paul Harris Fellow through Rotary International .My immediate goal is to medal at both the Track and the Road CHampionships this year and hopefully bring home the World Champion Jersey in at least one of my events. My future Goal is to compete in 2012 London Paralympics both on the Track and on the Road and to better my Beijing Medal
