In 2006 I was at Dundee Bowling Alley with Angus College; my mum was there as one of our volunteer drivers and Kim Dalgarno approached her and asked if I would be interested in bowling for Team GB at the youth games in Rome that October. That began my journey, and regular training sessions have ensured that I have formed friendships, attended social functions and been part of a bigger organisation.
I have been lucky enough to have bowled in numerous competitions including my first National Games in 2009, in Leicester as part of the Tayside team, then European Summer games in Warsaw in 2010. Then I took part in an invitational tournament in Cyprus in 2012, and then Bath for my second National Games, in 2013. In 2015, I was lucky enough to be selected to go to the World Games in Los Angeles and then in 2017, part of the Tayside team again in Sheffield.
In 2018, I was a volunteer at the 40th Anniversary Games at Stirling where I helped out on the merchandise stall.
I have also been very lucky to have been involved in the baton relay for the Commonwealth games in 2018.
My journey has literally taken me all over the world, representing my district as well as my country and I am enormously proud of what I have achieved, and this includes, four gold, five silver and five bronze medals. I hope to continue on my athlete journey for a long time to come.
Thank you.
“I really enjoy playing Power Wheelchair Football. It’s a great way to take part in sport, meet others and have fun. I’ve been playing for the last 10 years - it’s become such a big part of my life” – Kelsey Speed
My name is Murran Mackay, I am a 20 year old and I am a wheelchair racer.
I have been doing wheelchair racing for about 6 years now and I got involved after seeing different people doing it on the TV and thought looked very interesting, so I had got in touch with some coaches and they allowed me to borrow a chair to start my racing carer.
About a year after I had started doing wheelchair racing I started looking to get my own chair that was made to measure me so I can start to properly train and begin competing. I started competing a few years after I started just doing little races which were local to me, then I started to travel to England and doing things, such as the London mini marathon, then when I got older I began doing 10KS.
I have also been given the opportunity to go to Switzerland to train at a camp for a week with different people across the world. I am now an assistant coach in athletics and I help coach children and adults who are beginning there wheelchair racing carers and teaching them everything that I was taught throughout the years.
Thank you.
