As the world’s top Paralympians prepare to take centre stage this week in Tokyo, a teenager with Cerebral palsy is setting his sights on future Paralympic Games as he sprints his way to success.
Tomi Roberts-Jones, from Heath, Cardiff, has Cerebral palsy, a condition which affects his vision, movement and overall mobility on the right side of his body. Despite this, the 15-year-old has been passionate about running since the age of nine.
Not letting his disability hold him back, Tomi is a sprinter, training several times a week. Recently representing Wales at the National Junior Athletics Championships, the teenager is now preparing for the the 2021 School Games in September.
Tomi is part of Disability Sport Wales’ Performance Pathway Programme, a scheme designed to offer young people like Tomi training and support to reach their potential within sport. Welsh Paralympic athletes including Kyron Duke, Hollie Arnold, Harrison Walsh and Harri Jenkins, all competing this year, also came through the programme.
With training halted for almost a year during lockdown, Tomi has now returned to routine training with his coach, Welsh Paralympic sprinter and Team Wales Commonwealth Games athlete, Morgan Jones.
