Biography
Impairment information
Type of Impairment
Spinal Cord Injuries
Origin of Impairment
Acquired
Classification
T54
Further personal information
Family
Husband Chris Oxley
Residence
Lytham St Annes, ENG
Occupation
Athlete
Languages
English
Sport specific information
When and where did you begin this sport?
She began wheelchair racing at age 15 in a two-mile junior competition that was part of the London Marathon in England.
Why this sport?
Her first coach Jason Gil let her try his racing wheelchair and she loved it.
Club / Team
Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde Athletic Club: England
Name of coach
Paula Dunn [national], GBR; Jenny Archer [personal], GBR
International debut
Year
2005
Competing for
Great Britain
General interest
Nicknames
Shelly (englandathletics.org, 16 Jun 2014)
Memorable sporting achievement
Breaking the world record for the 1500m in 2010. (shellywoods.com, 2014)
Hero / Idol
British wheelchair racer David Weir. (sportsaid.org.uk, 06 May 2014)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"To get to the top of wheelchair racing and stay there is all about attitude, motivation, determination, dedication, power and speed." (24sevenmedia.co.uk, 04 Apr 2013)
Awards and honours
She has received a Civic Honour Award from Fylde Borough Council in England. (lythamstannesexpress.co.uk, 16 Jan 2013)
Impairment
In 1997 she was playing hide-and-seek with friends and fell from a tree. She broke her back which resulted in paraplegia. (24sevenmedia.co.uk, 04 Apr 2013; fabulousmag.co.uk, 20 Jan 2013; paralympics.org.uk, 05 Feb 2010)
Other information
LOST FUNDING
She admits to having had a bad season following the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, which resulted in her losing her funding from British Athletics. "I had to make some changes and that was hard to get used to. Not only did I lose my funding, I lost my support from them. It was really hard to take, especially having one bad year after doing so well the previous years." (bt.com, 24 Apr 2015; cnn.com, 25 Mar 2015)
BEIJING RE-RUN
She avoided a crash to win a silver medal in the 5000m at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing. However, she had to hand the medal back after the medal ceremony when officials decided the race would be re-run. Four days later she managed to win bronze. "I did actually consider running home with the medal, jumping on a plane back to London, but there was no way I was going to miss that re-run." (cnn.com, 25 Mar 2015)
She admits to having had a bad season following the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, which resulted in her losing her funding from British Athletics. "I had to make some changes and that was hard to get used to. Not only did I lose my funding, I lost my support from them. It was really hard to take, especially having one bad year after doing so well the previous years." (bt.com, 24 Apr 2015; cnn.com, 25 Mar 2015)
BEIJING RE-RUN
She avoided a crash to win a silver medal in the 5000m at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing. However, she had to hand the medal back after the medal ceremony when officials decided the race would be re-run. Four days later she managed to win bronze. "I did actually consider running home with the medal, jumping on a plane back to London, but there was no way I was going to miss that re-run." (cnn.com, 25 Mar 2015)
Results
Unit | Date | Rank |
---|
Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
Women's 800 m T54 | Heat 1 | 3 | ||
Women's 800 m T54 | Final Round | 5 | ||
Women's 1500 m T54 | Heat 2 | 1 | ||
Women's 1500 m T54 | Final Round | 2 | ||
Women's 5000 m T54 | Final Round | 3 | ||
Women's Marathon T54 | Final Round | 4 |
Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
Women's 5000 m T53/54 | Final | 2011-01-22 | 3 | |
Women's 800 m T54 | Heat 2 | 2011-01-24 | 2 | |
Women's 800 m T54 | Final | 2011-01-25 | 5 | |
Women's 1500 m T53/54 | Heat 1 | 2011-01-26 | 2 | |
Women's 1500 m T53/54 | Final | 2011-01-28 | 7 | |
Women's Marathon T53/54 | Final | 2011-01-30 | 9999 |
Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
Women's 5000 m T54 | Heat 1 | 2012-08-31 | 3 | |
Women's 5000 m T54 | Final Round | 2012-09-02 | 8 | |
Women's 800 m T54 | Heat 3 | 2012-09-04 | 3 | |
Women's 1500 m T54 | Heat 2 | 2012-09-06 | 1 | |
Women's 1500 m T54 | Final Round | 2012-09-07 | 6 | |
Women's Marathon T54 | Final Round | 2012-09-09 | 2 |
Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
Women's 5000 m T54 | Semifinal 2 | 2013-07-20 | 12 | |
Women's Marathon T54 | Final 1 | 2013-07-28 | 9999 |