A Gateshead woman who achieved a first by powering her way into Great Britain’s Special Olympics team has just returned home from winning a silver medal in Vancouver.
Jemma Robinson, who lives in Blaydon, has made her disabled sports club – and her family – proud, having quickly proved herself as a powerlifter despite taking up the sport little more than a year ago on joining the newly-launched Special Olympics Gateshead.
And the 35-year-old’s talent, combined with hard work and decication, is helping inspiring others as she brings home her medal from the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships in Canada, where she took competed as part of the Special Olympics GB Team this December.
Staff and friends at the club had been delighted when Jemma, who has learning difficulties, was picked to be its first GB representative.
She said that before taking up powerlifting, as well as archery, shot put and javelin, last July: “I’d never done sport before”.
Now she loves it and going to compete in Vancouver was her dream.
Jemma was one of just two powerlifters from the UK to take part over there and did herself proud too by setting new personal bests, lifting more then she’s ever lifted before.
She stepped up her training beforehand and had one-to-one coaching but didn’t expect to do so well, especially given the short time involved.
Despite being nervous – “and I hadn’t flown since I was about 12” – she said the whole experience was “brilliant”.
“The people there were really lovely and welcoming when they knew I had never done it before and it was a really good competition,” she said.
“I just thought I’ll try my best and I could have cried when I got a medal. I couldn’t believe it.
“When I was standing on the podium it was so emotional.”
She had a chance to look around Vancouver City before flying home to show her medal to her friends at the club.
Keith Hogan, chairman of Special Olympics Gateshead which has been transforming the lives of its members, said: “She was terrific.”
He said Jemma thoroughly deserves her success, calling her a “wonderful example” of what can be achieved.
Jemma is a regular at The Winlaton Centre; training both there and in Ashington.
Special Olympics is a global organisation which originated in the US in the 1960s and since Gateshead Council started its own branch in June last year, to help those with disabilities to take up sports, it has brought together around 60 families.
A charity, it is always looking for volunteers and sponsorship and recently received a £1,000 cash boost from Washington business Fastflow Pipeline Services.
It has 10 coaches offering weekly training in 10 different disciplines ranging from archery to swimming.
The aim is to ensure that disabled people have the same sporting opportunities as those without disabilities and members have certainly proved themselves up to the challenge.
Already 47 athletes have competed in local and national competition and won lots of medals, including six at the Special Olympics National Cycling Championships.
Its president is Gateshead-born former football manager Lawrie McMenemy who praised the achievements made in such a short time.
Members have also been making the most of the chance to meet others and are hugely supportive of each other.
What’s especially important is seeing how they have overcome nerves and grown in confidence.
“It’s about bringing out everything that’s been locked in,” said Lawrie.
Keith added: “Skills lie dormant in peoople and what you need to do is get the right opportunity in the right context and that’s what this programme does.”
Previously Jemma has called it “an unbelievable experience”, saying: “They’ve brought me a long way and I just want to thank them for what they’ve done.”
Courtesy of: Chronicle Live