Brock Whiston was set to compete at the games earlier this summer (credit: Brock Whiston)
Brock Whiston, 23, had been due to compete in the games this summer.
But the coronavirus pandemic put paid to that and the Olympics and Paralympics were postponed until 2021.
Brock, who suffers from Hemiplegia and Dystonia, was expected to be challenging for medals in the Paralympics, having won four golds at the 2019 World Championships in London.
But she now faces another year of training for the games, which comes at a cost and is difficult with current restrictions on going to gyms and swimming pools in England.
She has been using different leisure centres to try and get enough time in the pool, and has even resorted to using resistance bands to swim on the spot in a small pool in her garden.
Brock swimming on the spot in a pool in her garden (credit: Brock Whiston)
“I know that I’ve got to carry on working because different countries have definitely still got all their facilities open as normal,” Brock tells Time 107.5FM. “So I know my competitors are still doing all their training and more now they know they’ve got an extra year for it.”
Brock is unable to go for a run in the streets. Instead, she mainly uses a cross trainer to keep her fitness up.
With access to facilities not so straightforward, Brock is hoping to buy new equipment, including a cross trainer, a set of weights, or a weight machine, so that she can continue her preparations.
“Not being able to go to the gym and use pool as often, I need to get those opportunities I’m missing at the centres into my home and be able to adapt the best I can,” Brock said. “The equipment is really expensive and it’s hard to try and work around what I have at the moment and I don’t feel like that’s enough to get me that Paralympic gold.”
Brock with her coach, Stewart Nicklin after winning four gold medals at the 2019 World Championships (credit: Brock Whiston)
Brock currently has one sponsor, Hawkins & Sons butchers, which provides her with her meat. She is looking for an additional sponsor to help pay for the equipment she needs.
“The Paralympics isn’t just about the athletes, and I think this is what people [don’t realise],” Brock said. “There’s so much work that goes on behind the scenes, no athletes just rocks up on the day and performs.
“If I manage to get a sponsor, I’d like to show that the sponsor has helped me get there. I wouldn’t be there without that support network, so it’s their journey as well and I think they should get that reward of being acknowledged for the help they put forward.”
If you are interested in sponsoring Brock, you can email her here.
For more on this story, and the latest on our other local and national news, listen to Time 107.5FM
Tags: Romford, Havering, Collier Row, Swimming
