title of being the first Bermudian track-and-field
athlete to qualify for and compete at this event on
the world stage.
and placed eighth in three events.
SGY graduation in 2011; her favourite subject was
Drama, she says. "All the teachers I had at Saltus
were amazing, and they all impacted my life. They
were always so encouraging and they treated me
like everyone else, which meant a lot to me. They
looked past my chair and saw me as the person I
am. After all, my day-to-day life is just like every-
one else's. The only difference is that I do it from a
sitting-down position!"
ming to horseback riding to wheelchair basketball
and finally track. "My family never told me I couldn't
do something so I always knew I could do whatever
I put my mind to and they would support me."
designed for track and road racing. But she didn't
start to train seriously until 2011 when she enrolled
in Brock University, St. Catharines, ontario, under
her Canadian coach Ken Thom.
Making it tougher was severe back pain she suf-
fered as a result of surgery she'd had the previous
year. Yet, this summer, she realised her dream and
found herself on the Paralympics start line--along-
side her sporting idol, American T53 racer, Anjali
Forber Pratt. They competed against each other in
the 100m, 200m and 400m events.
incredible person and athlete," says Jessica. "I felt
so honoured to race against my role model, my
inspiration and my friend."
Dad Mark Lewis, Mom Lorri Lewis (also her
"Chef de Mission"), as well as Ann Lindroth
and Jeni Southern, of the Bermuda Paralympic
Association. "My parents and everyone else were
so proud to see me out on the track," Jessica
enthuses. "Many happy tears were shed. I think
the best part was carrying the Bermuda flag in
the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as
the racing, of course."
racing season, with hopes of qualifying for the
World Championships in Lyon, France in July
2013, the Para Pan American Games in Toronto in
2015--and the next Paralympic Games, in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil in 2016.
Leisure with a focus on Therapeutic Recreation.
She hopes to work at WindReach Bermuda, an
activity centre for people with special needs.
fall at the sold-out TEDx Bermuda conference.
"I enjoy bringing awareness to the fact that people
with disabilities can achieve greatness if they put
in the time, the dedication, the hard work and the
attitude," she says.
inspired
others to
never give
up on
themselves
or their
dreams'
Lewis / '11