LONDON: When Martine Wright headed to work just over seven years ago and began reading about London’s successful bid to host the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics in a newspaper, taking part had not entered her head.
The previous day, July 6, 2005, the IOC had awarded the British capital the Games, triggering scenes of widespread celebration.
But during the morning rush hour on July 7, the mood was shattered when four Islamist suicide bombers detonated their explosives on three London Underground trains and a double-decker bus, killing themselves and 52 others.
Martine Wright could easily have been one of the victims. One of the bombers blew himself up in the carriage of her Circle Line train. She lost her legs and only awoke from a coma in hospital more than a week later.
Yet, as she prepares to represent the host nation at sitting volleyball in the Paralympics next Friday, Wright counts herself fortunate.
“I can’t believe it (the Paralympics) is just days away now, I can’t wait,” said the 39-year-old.
“We’ve been watching the countdown for so many days, months and years and I can’t wait to get there now.
“I was unlucky to get on that Tube that day but I was so lucky to survive and I think about the 52 people who died that day. I’m the lucky one, I’m embarking on that dream. I feel I was meant to make this journey.”
Sport has been a key part of Wright’s rehabilitation. She tried a number of different sports at a British Paralympic Association (BPA) open day but plumped for sitting volleyball.
The fast-paced game is similar to the non-disabled version but played on a 10m x 6m court with a lower net and involves two teams of six with differing disabilities playing at one time.
Athletes have to keep their pelvis on the ground at all times with games played as best of five sets. The first team to reach 25 points with at least a two-point lead wins a game.
“I’m here living a dream,” said Wright. “The goal is to go out there and do the best we can. We’ve got to make sure we do our absolute best on court and make our nation and families proud.”
But after all she has endured, she has surely already done that. (AFP)