Guest blog: "I’m going to be playing on the world's biggest stage, against the world's best athletes"

With the Wheelchair Rugby Paralympic Games starting on the 29 August, Fund ambassador and Paralympian, Cpl Stuart Robinson, talks about what it takes to represent Team GB in the high-intensity sport.

Wheelchair rugby is fierce, fast, and aggressive. It’s full contact, tactical and technical. You have to be skilled and agile. There are so many different aspects to it – and that’s why I love it.

I was first introduced to wheelchair rugby when I was in hospital, following a life-changing injury in an IED strike while serving in the RAF Regiment. I remember being in hospital, wondering 'How am I going to get my life back on track?'

I accepted that my career within the service was over, and I had to find a new way of moving forward. Luckily for me, I found the sport of wheelchair rugby, after seeing a poster showcasing the sport in hospital while I was recovering. It ticked a lot of boxes for me – I played rugby beforehand and it just seemed like such an exhilarating sport.

I got involved with wheelchair rugby quite early on, taking part in the Invictus Games, which only enhanced my love for the sport. I was then fortunate enough to get picked up by Team GB Wheelchair Rugby, where I received all the development and training I needed to represent my country in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. It was my first Paralympics and we won a gold, it was an incredible feeling. Team GB had never won a medal at the Paralympic Games in wheelchair rugby before, so it was an amazing achievement. I’m so excited to be going to Paris and am ready to defend our gold title with my team.

There’s so much to think about when playing wheelchair rugby. It’s like being a swan –you're nice and calm, composed on top of water, but underneath your feet are frantically paddling, trying to get you moving from A to B, and your brain is trying to go at 500 miles an hour. You need to work out exactly what's going to happen next, who to pass to, where to move – the transition part of the game is crucial. You’re also looking at how long is left on the clock, when is best to score, and how to get a greater advantage against the other team. There are a lot of technical things going on, but it's all part of the game.

Physically, it’s all about creating the correct balance. You have to be pretty strong, because it’s a big piece of metal that you’re pushing around. You have to be able to absorb the hits, but you also don’t want to be too strong as it will make you too heavy, making it harder to push your chair in a straight line. It’s important to have a good engine – which is your body and mind – so you can renew up and down the court. You need the engine to last because, once you’ve scored, you’re back into defense mode, and once you’ve finished defending, you’re into offense mode. It takes a lot of cardio and conditioning, and you have to be mentally fit as well, ready for the pressure of each game.

I think the goal is obviously always going to be to go out and win the gold medal. It's probably pretty much the sole focus right now – all the training, dedication, video analysis, nutrition – it's all geared towards Paris. It has only been a three year Paralympic cycle this time, but we are pretty confident again. We've had a bit of a turnaround in the squad, with different athletes coming through and different staff, but the goal has not changed. We're still going to go out there and still aim for that gold medal.

It's going to be tight – we’re competing against Australia – who are currently ranked number 1 in the world. On the Saturday night, we’re against France which is going to be a big game in their home nation, and the crowd will be going wild. There’s also the USA, Japan, Canada, and so many others – the competition is fierce, but I think we have what it takes to win. 

It’s pretty special to be at the Paralympics. I’m going to be playing on the world's biggest stage, against the world's best athletes. This wouldn’t have been possible without the support from my family, friends, team, and the RAF Benevolent Fund. I’m ready to do everyone proud and do everything I can to get the gold!