McKenzie O’Reilly is en route to the top in two different sports – and it’s a journey that started with Panathlon.
Now on the talent pathway with Swim Wales and Tennis Wales, McKenzie – who has spina bifida and mild hydrocephalus – got into sport through Panathlon school events.
And he particularly enjoyed getting a t-shirt and a medal!
It was a stark contrast to his experience of some PE lessons and initiatives when he has been unable to take part because of the degrees of contact, or because he can’t use his wheelchair on the playing surface.
“The excitement of representing your school and then coming home with a medal – it didn’t matter what colour – it just meant so much,” recalls mum Kerry.
“There was just so much that he got from it, and as he went through the school, supporting younger ones as well.”
Swimming is particularly good for McKenzie from a physio point of view, as he has to use his legs.
And his link with Panathlon is doubly special because of one of his sporting heroes – Panathlon chair Liz Johnson, who he first met when she visited his primary school.
“He took a swim hat for her to sign and got a photo with her – that was incredible,” recalls Kerry.
They met again when she presented his Panathlon outstanding achiever award for Gloucestershire in 2017 – and she passed on lots of advice about how to succeed at the top level.
“He’s still very star-struck by her, which is really quite sweet!” adds Kerry.
McKenzie is now studying hard for his GCSEs – including GCSE PE.
And one day he would like to go into coaching, using the leadership skills he started to develop with Panathlon: “We see it with him with younger swimmers and younger tennis players now,” says Kerry.
