Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby star Ryley Batt on tackling goals of gold
Name
Ryley Batt
Age
32 years old
Sport
Wheelchair rugby
Paralympic history
Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016
Ryley Batt is more than just an inspirational Paralympian and athlete, he’s a testament to a life lived in the fast lane from day one. Before he took to a life of clashing metal on the Wheelchair Rugby court, a young Ryley exclusively got adrenaline fixes on a skateboard, opting to get around on four wheels over two.
Luckily he switched gears and became one of the most legendary stars the sport has ever known. Ryley has won two gold and a silver medal at four Paralympic games. He is now blazing trails towards Tokyo 2020 as the co-captain of the Australian Wheelchair Rugby Team and is proudly one of our Toyota Paralympian ambassadors.
"Set clear goals and work hard to achieve them. Surround yourself with positive people.”
Q: What fuelled your dream of competing in Wheelchair Rugby at the Paralympics?
A: A timely visit by two-time Paralympian Brad Dubberley to my Primary school in Port Macquarie ignited something in me. Three years later, I made my Paralympic debut.
Q: In a difficult 2020, how did you keep motivated over the last 12 months?
A: I’ve been focused on maintaining my fitness so that has helped me a lot. Plus being in a regional area made day to day life a bit easier.
Being the Steelers captain, the Paralympic Team co-captain, has meant that I’ve also been trying to support and motivate our other athletes and in a way, that’s helped me enormously too.
Q: How do spectators fuel or impact your performance? How do you think a limited crowd in 2021 will affect you?
A: Like everyone, I’m disappointed that my family and friends can’t be there to watch us compete. That support always gives us such a boost. So while there will be limited crowds in Tokyo, the team will be just so happy to be out there and representing our country, so it's not worrying us at all.
Q: What's something people don't know about you?
A: Maybe that I won 2 skateboard competitions in my early years?
Q: What's the best piece of advice you can give to anyone that is just starting out?
A: Set clear goals and work hard to achieve them. Surround yourself with positive people.
Q: Finally, where in the world would you love to take a road trip right now?
A: Our family loves a good adventure! At the moment some of the trips on our bucket list would be exploring the Kimberley or Cape York.
Thanks Ryley!