Anna Turney | Paralympian & Motivational Speaker
Paralympian Alpine Ski Racer, Anna Turney finished in an amazing 6th place in the Vancouver Paralympics only 4yrs after becoming paralysed whilst snowboard racing. Anna watched the Torino Olympics from a hospital bed in Japan and instead of giving up on her sport, and her life she became a Paralympics Skier, An inspirational story, an inspirational woman…
It was a cold January morning in Yamagata, Japan and as Anna was speeding down the slop looking for a place in the GB Snowboard Squad but as Anna over shot a 30ft table on the slope, things were about to take a disastrous turn.
Hitting the slope, tumbling down the hill, Anna was about to find out she had shattered her lower back, not only would she be told she would not ski again but she would never walk again. In a fraction of a second Anna had become a paraplegic.
From Anna’s hospital bed, she tentatively asked world champion and Paralympic monoskier (sit-skier), Stacey Kohut, about riding powder. His alluring words “You turn when the terrain makes you” conjured blissful visions and sparked new dreams in my mind which was reeling in shock.
After a month in hospital and new ambitions in Anna’s head, she returned to training, this time with the Paralympics in mind… She raced around Stoke Mandeville, hammered it through rehab and found herself back on the slopes. The only wall in her way was the financial issues with sponsorship needed.
Anna was back on the slopes, out of rehab without missing a single season which is testament to her passion and determination to not let this life changing accident get in the way of her dreams. On the anniversary of the accident Anna spent it on the mountain in Winter Park, Colorado, learning to mono-ski thanks to the Back Up Trust. Sliding on the snow again, back up to the old enthusiastic and energetic self, in Anna’s words, she felt reborn again.
Shortly after, training at the snowdome, the GB coaches saw potential in Anna and invited her to join the GB Development Squad. She started training with the team on pre-season training camp in Austria and spent the season training and racing in Canada.
Anna says “Driven by this sport, I plan to bring home medals, with a lot of hard work and a bit of luck!”
I am very sure Anna will be bringing many medals back over the coming years of what is looking like a very exciting and inspirational career.
Anna has now made it on to the motivational talking circuit and has even been working with the Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust. I couldn’t think of a more motivational and inspirational person to have as a guest speaker.
For more information or to contact Anna: www.annaturney.com
By Mike Buss.
Category: Celebs, Inspirational People
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