Brock Ingram to chase rowing dream at Paralympics

Ingram is a rower and is hoping to be named in the Paralympics team when it is officially announced next month.

He was originally chasing a spot on the kayaking team, but a change to the rules meant he no longer qualified.

Ingram’s injury occurred in 2007 when he was working at a mine and he had to have half his hand amputated and some fingers reattached.

He spoke to Southern River school students and sought to deliver an inspirational message.

“I said to the kids, ‘who here has been told they can’t do something because of disability’ and quite a number of them raised their hands,” he said.

“I got told I can’t kayak anymore, but rather than dwell on that, it’s a matter of let’s go do something we can do and have fun doing it.

“Some of us are born with a disability, some of us experience it later on. Regardless, everyone is different but similar in many ways and it’s important to help each other.”

The change in the rules did not stop the 39-year old from chasing his dream as he decided to switch his focus to rowing, in which he had some experience as a child.

“The basics of elite sports and training are the same across the board, so it is a matter of applying the ethics of the discipline,” he said.

“I am training six days a week, quite often twice a day.”

He said he did some rowing with able-bodied competitors.