She is fast making a name for herself as an up-and-coming swimmer with an ambition to compete at the Paralympic Games, But Meghan Willis says swimming has given her so much more than medals and PBs.
Born with no right hand and a partial forearm, Meghan was always conscious of being different:
“I used to hate people staring at me, I’d always tuck my hand up my sleeve or hide it behind my back. But actually, in a swimming costume, I couldn’t hide. And I also realised that people didn’t really notice. No-one was bothered about it. They were more interested in what I was doing in the pool.”
Sixteen-year-old Meghan often trains twice a day, swimming an average of 40km a week. She does all this while studying her GCSEs, so her commitment to the sport is obvious.
But she isn’t someone who was always destined to excel in sport. “I’m not sure I ever really considered myself to be sporty,” laughs Meghan. “But I always loved playing outdoors and running around.”
She began swimming in the same way that millions of other children do, by being enrolled by her parents to do swimming lessons. She swiftly moved through the different levels, or Waves as their known, and it was when she reached Waves seven – when you officially complete swimming lessons – that it was suggested she join a club.
Joining Torfaen Dolphins and the Wales squad
She first walked through the doors of Torfaen Dolphins when she was eight years old. And it’s still her club today:
“I met so many friends there and we’ve all grown up together. It’s like a family.”
The club also made sure they got Meghan classified early on. In disability sport, you need a classification to compete at a certain level. It was after this she was picked for the Welsh squad.
“It was a massive eye opener for me because I saw other swimmers with a range of disabilities. There was a swimmer called Molly who had no feet, and it was cool to see someone, a bit like me, in the sport who was doing well.”
Liz Johnson, who won gold in at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, was also a huge inspiration.
Meghan says her progress is testament to her parents, who have always supported her, and her coaches.
“I’ve been really lucky with my coaches,” adds Meghan. “They’re great at communicating and adapting sessions. My strength and conditioning coach, Ray Morgan, always goes the extra mile by adapting equipment and sessions for me. He has even got in touch with one-handed weightlifters so that I can get the best support possible.”
