Paralympian returns to her school in Sale to inspire youngsters
Carly Tait spoke to pupils at Ashton-on-Mersey school
Team GB athlete Carly Tait headed back to her old school today, in a bid to find the future stars of track and field. Tait, who competed at Rio 2016, took part in a wheelchair master-class and Q&A session at Ashton-on-Mersey School.
Like many young women in 2012, Carly’s focus in life was her friends and weekend visits with them to the bars and clubs of Manchester. That was until she attended the closing ceremony at the London Paralympics – an event that transformed her life. Inspired, she vowed to reach her goal to compete at the following Paralympics in Rio 2016. Through determination, commitment and self-discipline Carly achieved her goal and qualified to be on the start line of the T34, 100m in Brazil.
Carly said: “My life changed beyond recognition having been inspired by the incredible achievements of British Paralympians at London 2012. Since 2012 there has been a huge amount of support from the British public for Para Athletes in the UK. Hopefully what I have been able to achieve can in some small way encourage others to take up Para Athletics and pursue their dreams.”
Carly, 31, who has cerebral palsy and lives in Wythenshawe, now trains as a full-time athlete after being granted a paid career-break from her marketing job at the Co-op to realise her dreams and ambitions. Carly recently returned from a warm-weather training camp in Australia and is preparing for the London 2017 World Para Athletics Championships this July.