1. Rhys Jones The Story So Far

2. What’s Your Story?

3. Background information – little bits
Born June 1994
Age 2 became ill with Viral Encephalitis
Life support 3 days
Resuscitated 3 times
Coma 10 days
Left with left side hemiplegia epilepsy and left field vision neglect
Called hopeless case by doctors (still debateable now)

4. School Attended Cwm Clydach Infants and Junior schools.
Head teacher said to my parents, ‘We will take each day as it comes.’
Felt that I did not fit in, other children did not want to play with me.
Attended St John Baptist High School.
Never got chosen by other children to be part of their teams.
School was difficult. I felt lonely. I felt like no one wanted to know me.

5. RCT Tigers I joined the RCT Tigers (Pan Disability Football Club) in…
Immediately, I felt accepted.
Everyone was equal.
I started taking part in football festivals.
Awards- golden boot 2 years running
Finally felt like I was part of a team, like I belonged, like I was valued.
I had made friends.
My football coach told me that I was ‘rapid’ and she pointed me in the direction of Disability Sport Wales.

6. Athletics

7. Olympic Torch Relay & London 2012

8. Injuries And Obstacles
Muscle tears
Muscle pulls
Bilateral Sportsman’s Hernia
Bone Stress in my toe
Psychological
SO WHY DO I CARRY ON???

9. Commonwealth & European Championships 2014

10. Rio Paralympic Games 2016

11. What comes next?

12. My message
Being yourself and believing in yourself is them most important thing.
With determination anything is possible
Everyone has a talent and can achieve something
I was told that I would never do anything and those people were so wrong.

13. Thank you for listening
QUESTIONS?