THE AYRSHIRE PARALYMPIAN TAKES IT ALL IN HER STRIDE
Gill Sherry
Being selected to represent your country at the Paralympic Games is something most athletes can only dream of. However, for Ayr-based Kayleigh Haggo, that dream became a reality when she was chosen to represent Great Britain in the sport of boccia at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.
For those who may be unfamiliar with boccia, Kayleigh begins by explaining how it works.
“It’s designed specifically for people who use a wheelchair and have disabilities such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy and other conditions that affect co-ordination, strength, and control. The aim of the game is to get as close as you can to the jack ball which is the white ball. You can play as individuals, pairs or teams and it’s played indoors on a badminton-sized court.”
So, is it similar to bowls?
“The tactics and rules are different to bowls but if we try and describe it to people who have no idea, then yes, the concept is similar.”
Kayleigh, who has cerebral palsy, first began competing in frame running, and holds six world records over six different distances.
“My first gold medals were in an international competition in Dubai,” Kayleigh says, referring to the IWAS World Games 2011. “It was amazing. I was really young and I went with my mum and my coach, Ian. There wasn’t any pressure or expectation. I didn’t really understand what high performance was at that time, I was only going to have fun and to enjoy it. I just took it all in my stride.”
She came back from Dubai with four world records and four gold medals.
“It was a pretty successful trip!”
A few years later, Kayleigh also tried her hand at para swimming.
“I had a break from athletics,” she tells me. “I wasn’t enjoying it as much so I tried swimming. I swam competitively for three years and I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the sport for me, but it did teach me a lot in terms of motivation and discipline. I really enjoyed my time in the pool.”
For Kayleigh, though, her goal had always been to become a Paralympian and winning a medal in frame running at the 2024 Summer Paralympics was high on her agenda. But things don’t always go to plan and sadly, frame running was not included in the Paralympics line-up. Kayleigh, however, was undeterred.
“I’ve always wanted to compete in the Paralympic Games and become a Paralympian athlete so I had to re-jig my goals a little bit and look around and see what else I could do.”
It was at this point she discovered the sport of boccia.
“Don’t get me wrong, it’s not as easy as saying ‘I’m going to change sport and I’m going to get to the Paralympics,’ it takes a lot of hard work, motivation and training. When I started playing boccia, I obviously had the Paralympics in mind, but it was the Paralympics in six years’ time not the Paralympics in Paris!”
It’s safe to say, then, that she was a little surprised to be selected.
“When I’d trained for two years and got picked for the Paralympics it was a massive shock. But I had worked so hard and I’d learned so much over the years from athletics and swimming… I could use a lot of that in boccia so I think that really helped me.”
Having only taken up the sport in February 2022, Kayleigh didn’t expect to come home with a medal, she was just delighted to be selected.
“In Paris, I didn’t really put any pressure on myself, I just wanted to go and learn from the whole experience. I’d heard a lot about the Paralympic experience so I just took it in my stride. I tried to stay calm and just enjoyed it.”
And with one Paralympic experience under her belt, she is now setting her sights on LA in 2028.
“LA was always the goal in my mind before the surprise shock of Paris came along, so I’m looking forward to setting some goals for that one.”
At the time of our conversation, she also has something else to look forward to.
“I’m on a break just now which has been really nice because it’s been a really busy season, but I’m getting married in two weeks. Kevin is my boccia assistant, he was at the Paris Paralympic Games with me as my sports assistant and on court as my coach. We’re a great team, he trains with me every day and really pushes me to work hard and get better. We work really well together.”
Beyond her upcoming nuptials and looking ahead to 2025, Kayleigh’s schedule has yet to be confirmed.
“My performance at the Paralympic Games put me in the Top 10 in the World Rankings… so I can only do a certain amount of competitions next year. It’s just the way that the boccia ranking system works.”
This may allow Kayleigh to resume her training role, as she explains: ‘I’m a Disability Inclusion Trainer for Scottish Disability Sport. I’ve not been working for them this year because I’ve been so busy, but I’m qualified to deliver disability inclusion training which includes going out to schools and colleges, training local people and local coaches, making sure they know how to adapt for anyone with a disability and that they’re comfortable and happy for anyone to go along and be fully included in any sessions that they do.”
Having been excluded from PE at school, Kayleigh is determined to ensure that other young people don’t suffer the same experience and that they are included in all sessions, whether they have a disability or not.
It was this determination that led her to set up a disability community programme called Inspire.
“I set it up when I was working for South Ayrshire Active Schools. It’s a programme in South Ayrshire which allows young people, children and adults to attend disability specific sports sessions in the community. I set up over 10 sessions per week… boccia, athletics, walking groups, multi-sports… supporting the coaches and making sure that everyone was included and having fun.”
It’s a fitting legacy from a local Paralympian who is an inspiration to the next generation of athletes, regardless of their disability or their chosen sport.
She takes this opportunity to thank the National Lottery for the funding which allows her to focus on her training full-time and which, all being well, will enable her to qualify and compete in her second Paralympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
Ayrshire Magazine would like to wish Kayleigh every success in her future sporting endeavours.
