gair rhydd┬áSport meets Cardiff University’s bronze-medal Paralympian, Jenny McLoughlin.
In the midst of the London Paralympics and just a few weeks before the start of the 2012/13 academic year, Cardiff University student Jenny McLoughlin, joined by Bethany Woodward, Katrina Hart and another Welsh athlete, Olivia Breen, finished third in the T35-38 4x100m relay behind Russia and China.
Despite the amazing performance of the British athletes, McLoughlin and the rest of the team faced an anxious wait to see if they were disqualified.
ÔÇ£I think I went a bit too early,” McLoughlin said. ÔÇ£I tried to slow down a bit, but I really thought I was out of the box at the end.”
Eventually, the British team could sit back in relief as they were confirmed as bronze medallists, while Australia and Germany were disqualified. This meant that Wales kept up their record of winning a medal on every day of the Games.
ÔÇ£I didnÔÇÖt know, but then Olivia ran over and said we got bronze. I was so relieved. I thought I had messed up, but I hadnÔÇÖt,ÔÇØ McLoughlin explained.
London 2012 was not the first Olympics for 20-year-old McLoughlin, who was born in Stockport. At Beijing 2008, she took part in both the 100m and 200m sprints in the T37 class.
Along with her sports engagements, in 2010, McLoughlin, who now lives in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, completed her A- levels, which allowed her to take up a degree at Cardiff University.
Viktor Tsvetanov
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