Athlete Of The Week: Deaflympics Athlete Bethan Lishman
PledgeSports have the pleasure of working with some phenomenal athletes and teams. Every Friday we will choose one of them as the PledgeSports “Athlete of the Week”.
This week’s winner is British Deaflympian Bethan Lishman. She has joined forces with PledgeSports to fundraise for the 2017 Deaflympics. As Bethan enters her final few days of fundraising we thought it was about time her fantastic efforts and ambition were acknowledged.
The Deaflympics is an international event which gives hearing impaired athletes from around the world the opportunity to compete against one another. Unfortunately, even though athletes represent their respective countries at the event, Deaflympics athletes do not receive any funding and the cost of training, travel and competing must come from their own pockets.
Bethan was born with partial hearing loss which has deteriorated as she’s gotten older. A spinal surgery in 2014 saw Bethan go through intense rehabilitation, but now she is back fighting fit and ready to win gold for Team GB.
Her event is the hammer throw, but why choose this discipline over other track and field events?
“I chose hammer because it was a different event and I can’t cope with running in circles it bores me.
“There is no greater feeling than walking into a throwing circle and wearing your GB vest, knowing how hard you’ve worked and how many sacrifices you’ve made along the way,” said Bethan.
When it first started in Paris in 1924, the Deaflympics was the first ever international event for athletes with a disability. What do the games mean to an athlete like Bethan who has lived with hearing loss her entire life?
“The Deaflympics means that I get to compete on a level playing field as in my usual competitions I’m competing against others that are not impaired by hearing,” she said.
Bethan has inspired us all here at PledgeSports with her incredible dedication to sport and to progressing her own career. For an athlete who is as inspiring as Bethan, we wonder, who inspires her?
“I am inspired by Sophie Hitchon (British hammer thrower, former World Junior Champion, and the current senior British record-holder with a throw of 74.54 metres in the 2016 Rio Olympics). Sophie has proved that if you work hard enough you can achieve your goal,” said Bethan.
Finally, after what has been a successful fundraiser to date, would Bethan recommend PledgeSports to other athletes and teams?
“I have already recommended to others after my last campaign was so successful.”
Bethan has emptied savings accounts, taken out bank loans and has resorted to selling the Great Britain kit that she earned, just to try and get to the Deaflympics. If you would like to support Bethan please visit her fundraising page.
PledgeSports is a crowdfunding & sponsorship platform dedicated to sport.
Are you or someone you know seeking funding for sport? We would love to help. Get in touch with us via email info@pledgesports.org or visit www.pledgesports.org and click “Create Your Campaign” to start raising money.
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