Determined to not let life in a wheelchair slow him down, 16-year-old Eithen Leard is setting the bar high when it comes to his sporting achievements.
He’s one of Logan’s most recent sporting success stories, having made his debut on the national men’s wheelchair basketball team.
The Rollers, as the Australian team is known, took out gold at the Oceanic championships in Thailand.
Eithen, who plays guard, says competing for his country was a dream come true and a “great learning experience”.
“I learned a lot and I got to do it with a bunch of people I’ve sort of grown up around; people like Tristan Knowles who I’ve seen dominate the game for a while, so it was good to debut with them,” he said.
The young gun says he has his sights set on the Brisbane 2032 Paralympic Games. He also hopes he can continue to be an example for young children across Australia who may feel limited due to their abilities.
“Obviously, a lot more work needs to be done between now and then. But for now, it’s definitely always been one of my bigger goals; worlds and Paralympics,” he said.
Eithen’s no stranger to hard work. He picked up wheelchair basketball at just three-years-old and has developed his strength and skills in the sport for over a decade.
Born with a spinal cord issue that left him a paraplegic since birth, for the past 10 years he has been supported by the Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association.
Through Sporting Wheelies’ sports programs, he’s increased his mobility and independence, helping him as he pursues his goal of making the 2032 Paralympics.
But first, he is preparing for the U23 World’s in Thailand this September.
“We’ve been preparing for about five years now, because it’s been pushed back and pushed back because of Covid,” he said.
“But now that it’s here we have a good shot at competing there; I think we can be a little bit more grateful that we’ve had that little bit of extra time to try to prepare.
“We’ve got a lot of skillful individuals on our team, all 15 people have something to offer and have a huge skill-set, it’s just about bringing them together as a team.”
To help continue to support aspiring sporting stars, Sporting Wheelies is holding its inaugural CEO Wheelie Challenge this month, calling upon CEOs, business leaders and politicians across Queensland to experience a workday in a wheelchair.
Locally, Springwood MP Mick de Brenni will be taking part in the challenge, which is held in a bid to raise awareness of the difficulties those living with disability face.
Funds raised used to support the organisation’s sport and exercise therapy services, and pathways programs for the 2032 Paralympics.
