Bayswater: Former dual national masters mountain bike champion Adrian Walsh gains strength through specialised gym

FORMER masters champion mountain biker Adrian Walsh, of Bayswater, is gaining strength through a donated specialised gym and wheelchair rugby, after he suffered a catastrophic crash last year.

The 42-year-old dual national masters gold medallist was riding with his friends on June 18, 2017, where he was involved in a crash resulting in a c5 incomplete quadriplegic spinal injury.

The father of three has no function from the chest down and limited hand movement.

Bendigo Community Bank Bayswater and Noranda branches funded a home gym for him, which was modified by Technology Assisting Disability WA (TADWA) in Bassendean earlier this year.

Mr Walsh thanked them for their support, as he worked towards his goal to help his wife more with day-to-day tasks.

“One day, I’d like to be able to prepare a meal,” he said.

“The more strength I get will allow me to do normal day-to-day tasks and just be able to hopefully get my licence back soon, take the load off my wife and drive the kids around.

“Hopefully, I’ll start doing some lessons soon; I’d like to think I could drive within a year but I just have to wait and see.

“The right arm has just got to get a bit stronger because I plan on transferring into the car and breaking the chair down.”

After being an elite mountain biker for more than 20 years, he sought advice from Rebound WA in finding another sport to keep fit and active.

“I would like to play wheelchair basketball but I don’t have the hand functions and I can’t do that,” he said.

“Spoke about the lay-down biking so I tried one of those but it did not feel right.

“I just went down one Wednesday and tried the rugby and it was fun and they are a nice, good group of people.

“It just clicked and I think that is what I’d like to try and pursue.”

He will be testing virtual reality with TADWA staff next month, in a bid to gain some function back on both the right and left sides of his body.