Age: 23
Home town: Paisley
Sport: Athletics
Classification: T38
Event/s: 100m
Club: Red Star AC / Kilbarchan AAC
Coach/es: John Kinder, Alasdair Barker, Ricky Miell
When and how did you get involved in sport?
From as early as I can remember I attended the Panda Centre Hospital (where I got my nickname) for physiotherapy after being diagnosed as having cerebral palsy, which affects the right side of my body.
The physio recognised my love for football and actively incorporated sport into my therapy programme to help me engage with my right side.
Career highlights to date:
Major Championships and International Records:
- 2021 – European Para Championships, 100m, 7th
- 2021 – European Para Championships (Poland), 400m, 4th
- 2018 – European Para Championships, 400m, Silver
Domestic Championships Records
- 2021 – Scottish National Para Championships, 200m, Gold
- 2021 – Scottish National Para Championships, 100m, Silver
- 2017 – Scottish National Para Championships, 200m, Gold
What are your ambitions for the Commonwealth Games?
Qualifying for the Commonwealth Games is a dream come true and when I stand on the start line at the Alexandra Stadium in Birmingham on the 3rd of August, I’m going to enjoy every minute of my Commonwealth Games journey. My ambition is to be the best I can be, let’s see where that takes me.
Do you have one piece of advice for an aspiring athlete?
Find a coach who loves the sport just as much as you do, challenge each other every time you train but most importantly remember why you played, ran, jumped, pushed or threw in the first place. It was to have fun. Don’t lose sight of that and the hard work that you put in will all be worth it.
Twitter: @PandaRoss_1998
Instagram: pandaross1