Just to introduce myself, my name is Andy Barrow and I’m a full time Wheelchair Rugby player. I’m thirty years old and have lived in New Eltham all my life.

I was always a keen sportsman, playing rugby and cricket throughout my school days at Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar before going on to study Leisure and Tourism at Orpington College. It was during a Rugby match in April of 1997 that my life changed forever…

I was seventeen years old and playing my first season of senior Rugby for Charlton Park RFC. I broke my neck in a badly engaged scrum, which damaged my spinal cord leaving me paralysed from the chest down with limited use of my hands. I was sent to Stanmore Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital for rehabilitation and it was there that I first discovered Wheelchair Rugby!

I began playing shortly after leaving hospital in January 1998 and soon realised that Rugby was the sport for me.

I broke into the GB squad in late 1999 and narrowly missed out on selection for the Sydney Paralympics. I worked hard on my game and finally made the team, earning my first Cap at the World Championships in 2002.

In the autumn of that year I was invited to play in the U.S. league for San Diego. After winning a gold medal at the Europeans in 2003 and competing in my first Paralympics in Athens, I was asked to Captain the team; a position I held for some five years encompassing two more European titles, a World Championship campaign and the Beijing Games in 2008.

As well as my international career, I’ve experienced success with my club team “London”, competing against some of the best sides in tournaments all over the World.

I’ve been posting my Blog on the “Team 2012” website http://www.team-2012.com/ for a few months and I’m extremely happy to now be bringing my entries to the News Shopper readers!

I normally manage to write something new every couple of weeks and my aim is to give you an insight into all aspects of my life as an athlete. In the coming months and years building up to London 2012, I’ll be taking you behind the scenes of my training and preparation for major competitions as well as introducing you to the rest of the GB team and giving you a greater knowledge of the sport that is “Wheelchair Rugby”.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy what I write…