A PARALYMPICS hopeful is set to make her debut at the Paris games this summer despite switching sports.
Kayleigh Haggo, 25, was named in the boccia team for ParalympicsGB last month despite only playing for two years.
The Maybole, South Ayrshire native, who has cerebral palsy, was devastated after finding out frame-running – in which she’d achieved World and European Champion titles – would not be included in the Paris games this August.
Undeterred, Kayleigh quit her job as an Active Schools coordinator to train and within two years managed to reach 13th in the world boccia rankings.
She said: “I knew the call was coming but had no idea I was going to be selected – I was over the moon.
“My dream from an early age was to go to a Paralympic Games, so when it was announced that frame-running wouldn’t be included in Paris I couldn’t believe it.
“I got in the Scotland team quite early on and won the Scottish Championship about three months after I started.
“I think because I’d had that experience of competing at a high level already, at World and European Championships, that really helped me.
“When I started, I obviously had the goal of Paris, but I didn’t think that was very likely, I had an eye on LA.
“It’s crazy to think I’ve made it to Paris in a different sport to the one I’ve been best at most of my life.
“Once I got training with Boccia and started playing world-class players and competing with them, I knew I had a chance.”
Kayleigh has been supported by the SportScotland Institute of Sport, with a range of mentors, counsellors, physiotherapists and preparation managers helping her transition between the two disciplines.
Physiotherapists Jesse Castillo and Alyssa Timoney guided the athlete through a hip issue that could have required surgery and stalled her boccia progression.
Kayleigh said: “The support from SportScotland has been brilliant.
“When I was changing to boccia it was looking like I might need an operation on my hip, but the physio I got through SportScotland and the rehab work resolved the problem without an operation.”
Boccia is a target ball sport that tests both muscle control and accuracy, a stark change from the short, high-intensity races of frame-running.
She said: “The biggest difference between the sports has been mental.
“With frame running, when I had a bad day, I could just go out for a run and clear my head.
“During competitions races are over quickly, but boccia is a long sport and during competitions you can be there for five or six days in a row.
“It’s totally different but I feel like I’m used to it now.”
The 2024 Paralympics will take place from 28 August until 8 September.
