Inspire

Ryan Dicken

Ryan Dicken

Sports Award

Biography

Ryan Dickin, 18 years old, is a disabled athlete witha burning desire to become a full time athlete. This talented and multi skilled young sportsman competes in two sports - Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Rugby.

JHMT's Support

Ryan only took up Rugby earlier in the year and within a month only started playing competitive rugby returned from an international wheelchair competition in Germany where he picked up a bronze medal with the Leicester Tigers. He's now a member of the both GB Junior Development squad in Rugby and basketball programme.

The youngster has been diagnosed with the muscle-wasting disease Hereditary Sensory Motor Neuropathy but has always refused to let his disability affect his day-to-day life.

Last year (2013) he was crowned Young Disabled Person of the Year at the Leicestershire Sports Partnership Awards.

And the Gateway College student also won a sport scholarship at Loughborough University following impressive performances on the basketball court for Leicester Cobras.

Ryan has now got his sights set on playing rugby at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio and has not ruled out representing Team GB in basketball at the 2020 games.

He said: "With rugby there is a real chance I could make the 2016 Paralympics, so I am going to do everything I possibly can to get there.


"It's the first contact sport I have ever played and I'm still getting used to actually being able to hit people. But it's great fun.

"With basketball I'm a bit further off, but 2020 is a real possibility and again I'll do everything I can to make it."

He attends basketball training three evenings a week, has rugby training twice a week and plays matches at weekends.

Currently, due to a lack of funding from the National Governing Bodies, Ryan has been trying to find funding that will allow him to continue to compete and develop at an elite level.

Ryan said: The award of a Inspire small grant is brilliant news as it will help me with the vital chair and personal maintenance that is necessary to compete; it will also allow me to attend more training sessions and GB camps, accelerating my development as a player, as well as contribute to international and national tournaments for club and country. All of this will aid towards my dream of being selected for Rio and beyond.'

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