Gareth Davies

A new Paralympic heroine for Great Britain hit the headlines a couple of weeks ago. And I'm delighted to say that having interviewed 22-year-old
Josie Pearson, I can fairly say that she is set to be a new media darling. Articulate, confident, good-looking and a top class sportswoman.
Josie was named in the GB squad for the Beijing Games at wheelchair rugby, making history by being the first woman ever to be selected to
play in the sport at a Paralympic Games.

Until she was 17, Josie's passion lay in equestrian pursuits. Nothing came close to riding with 'George', her Welsh Cobb. She did showjumping,
cross-country, one-day events. She wanted to be an equine dental technician. Her crush on horses was her life. But while she was
studying for her A Levels, her life changed dramatically. She was involved in a road traffic accident and suffered a very high spinal break. She now has movement in her triceps, arms, and some use of her hands. Before the accident, she was right-handed. She has had to learn to be left-handed. "My life changed in a split second, and my very first thoughts were that what had happened would stop me from living my life.
How was I going to live, confined to a wheelchair and not be able to ride horses ? I had to do a lot of growing up quickly," she explained.
"I had to fill that chasm, the adrenalin rush on a horse. I thought it would be very difficult to find a sport to give me that kick. But rugby
does fulfill that - and it is against men, who give no concession to females. I wouldn't change my life for the world now."

"I have been back on a horse since the accident with the local riding for the disabled. I rode there for quite a while, but I found it
incredibly frustrating.

So how did Josie discover wheelchair rugby ? "When I was at University in Cardiff I started playing for the Pirates rugby team, and was also sprinting and was just short of 100m qualifying times in training for Beijing, but I stopped doing the track stuff as the rugby became more serious. Wheelchair sprinting uses completely different muscles, but was great for cross-training. Rugby was my first love - and I thought I'd be silly not to take the opportunity, so I quit University for my Paralympic goal."

Josie was down in the doldrums until she saw the Paralympic Games in Athens four years ago being broadcast on the BBC. "I saw the Paralympics in Athens after my accident, and it became a dream to go and compete at them. I was also inspired by a tv documentary on the rugby guys. I wanted to play. After the accident, I completed my A levels after going back a year, and then went to Cardiff University to study neuroscience.

But I left after a year to pursue my dream of playing rugby at the Paralympic Games. I feel honoured to be the first female to make the GB Paralympic squad. I've marked my territory and have 110per cent support from the 11 guys in the squad."

Josie believes we should capitalise now on the upsurge in interest generated by the upcoming Games and the fact that London will host the 2012 event. "This generation needs encouraging into sport, and access to facilities plays a part in that. Society is different to when our parents were young. You often have to go a long way out of your way - especially young disabled sportspeople - to play in teams or train."

I like her motto. It should be adopted by the Paralympics GB team on the way, they should put music to it and sing it at team gatherings. "If
there's something you want to achieve don't let anybody or anything inhibit that. Don't fear failure. Failure can make winners. You learn by your mistakes." Josie Pearson - look out for her at the Beijing Games. We'll be hearing a lot more from the new girl on the block.