Last Updated on 07/09/2024 by Crip Life
Making her debut for ParalympicsGB’s women’s wheelchair basketball team is 2023 European silver medallist Jade Atkin. The 22-year-old from Portsmouth will be one of three debutant players in the squad, which is aiming to make history by winning Great Britain’s first Paralympic medal in Paris.
As part of our ParalympicsGB debutants interview series, our editor, Emma Purcell, speaks to Jade Atkin about being diagnosed with hereditary spastic paraplegia, becoming a wheelchair basketball player, her sporting success so far and what she is most looking forward to at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Read: Peter Cusack: From Paralympic Inspiration To Paris 2024 Debut In Wheelchair Basketball
When she was younger, Jade Atkin and her two sisters, Adele and Tanya, were diagnosed with hereditary spastic paraplegia, a group of rare inherited disorders that cause weakness and stiffness in the leg muscles, which gradually get worse over time.
Jade and her sister Adele were both selected as wheelchair basketball juniors and attended their first training camp in April 2018. A few months later, they won their first international junior title together as U24 European Champions.
Jade went on to make her senior debut at the 2021 European Championships in Madrid, where they claimed silver.
The Portsmouth baller made history the following year at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where she won bronze with England in the inaugural 3×3 wheelchair basketball tournament.
Jade has recently finished studying at Cardiff Metropolitan University and loves balancing her downtime away from sport by getting stuck into a good rom-com novel or Netflix documentary. Jade also backs herself as a great dancer.
Jade is heading to Paris with two other debut players – Maddie Martin and Jodie Waite. They will be joined by 2018 World Championship silver medallists Robyn Love, Sophie Carrigill, Charlotte Moore, Laurie Williams, Joy Haizelden, Amy Conroy and Helen Freeman. Rio 2016 Paralympian Katie Morrow and Tokyo 2020 debutant Lucy Robinson complete the line-up.
Read on to find out more about Jade Atkin in her own words and scroll down to see her Paris 2024 results.
Jade Atkin on living with hereditary spastic paraplegia
How did it feel being diagnosed with hereditary spastic paraplegia and was it slightly less daunting knowing your sisters have the condition too?
I think maybe that period of my life is vague and hard to recall. I think I spent a lot of my time ignoring my feelings towards it, towards this disability and when I ever talk about my diagnosis all I can ever talk about is my mum and dad’s reaction because I was their third daughter to have it. Three out of three daughters to have the same condition must have been scary for them I guess.
So whenever I recall that period of my life I don’t ever recall my own feelings towards the situation. I can only say my feelings now. And maybe it makes it less daunting that Adele was disabled but it’s still something that we all go through together and the feelings are still there.
How does living with hereditary spastic paraplegia affect you on a daily basis?
I think if we’re going to talk physically, I have days where I lay in bed and it will be a struggle to get out. It’s physically challenging – my legs will be tight so I do lots of stretching. I have a regular physio programme that I have to follow. There’s a lot of heaviness felt from my legs – a lot of heaviness and a lot of pain but that’s something I manage and I go through.
Mentally and emotionally, I find the impacts of that aren’t there as much because I think I’ve learnt to deal with it and it’s something I’ve learnt to embrace. I’m going to the Paralympics and that’s such an amazing thing. I wouldn’t be doing that if I hadn’t accepted my disability.
Both being wheelchair basketball players, do you and Adele have different symptoms/impairments and/or require different adjustments?
Adele’s a lot further ahead on the disability scale than I am so off the bat from that we’re bound to have different symptoms. A lot of the symptoms I explain to Adele she normally relates to when she was at my level of impairment. I can walk as well as being in my wheelchair and I’m very lucky for that. But that comes with a lot more pain, whereas Adele can’t walk at all so I imagine there’s a little less pain in that aspect.
My wheelchair is my main source of adjustment that I have. The wheelchair offers me the best quality of life. I also have a crutch, which I use mainly to stretch my legs or if somewhere is not as accessible as it helps me to do that. The crutch is only for short distances though.
When I was at the Commonwealth Games, I had an electric bike that helped loads as I didn’t really have to do anything apart from steering the bike so that was quite nice and things that go with my wheelchair, like the tri-ride. That helps as well. I also have my driving licence so driving helps.
Jade Atkin on becoming a wheelchair basketball player
Before becoming disabled, were you interested/involved in sport and why did you and your sister fall in love with wheelchair basketball?
This is hard to answer. There isn’t a before and after being disabled. Up there is a before and after of a diagnosis. Before I was diagnosed with my disability, I played able-bodied sports and after my symptoms. \
But before my diagnosis, I’d stopped playing able-bodied sports. My sister had gone into wheelchair basketball and that’s how I found wheelchair basketball. I think I was a year or two in that I was playing as an able-bodied individual in wheelchair basketball. And then it wasn’t until I was then diagnosed that I thought I should get classified but even then my aim wasn’t ever to get classified within the sport – my aim was to play with my sister.
Have you ever tried other Paralympic sports?
Oh yes, I tried power ice hockey. Oh my God! What a sport that is! So, one of our friends from wheelchair basketball plays it and I think the amazing thing about wheelchair sport is everyone plays everything. Like, you see someone playing wheelchair rugby and it’s like, ‘Okay, let’s have a shot then’. Once you’re in you find lots of sports.
I’ve played boccia before – that was also extremely fun. I tried that at school. I went to a very inclusive school and we had a sports day for those who were physically impaired in the school. Boccia was one of them and that was a good experience to have.
What has been the highlight of your wheelchair basketball career so far?
I’ve had different highlights with different things. The Commonwealth Games was a whole different experience. I think people compared it with the Paralympics and I haven’t had a Paralympics yet so I can imagine that the Paralympics will blow me out of the park as well.
But the Commonwealth Games – what an experience to have. The best part of that experience was putting able-bodied and disabled sports together. It was such a cool experience. We befriended each other and that helped the sport grow as well because those who came to the able-bodied games came to the disabled games and it was just a whole different experience I didn’t think I’d ever get. I’m so happy that I had that.
Away from wheelchair basketball, you’ve completed a degree in social care. Why that area and do you see yourself working in the social care sector in the future?
I originally applied to the University of Illinois. Do you ever feel like something is so out of reach and so far off but you do it because you think that would be really cool? And I think the whole process of Illinois seemed so far off, so out of my depth, ‘not me’ I guess. And the more I looked into it, the more research I did, the more I spoke to them, and the more I realised what a great step that would be. What an experience it would be to have that and if they’re willing to have me out there then I’m willing to be out there. I’m very excited about it; it’s such a big part of my journey and hopefully my development, my individual journey as well as my basketball journey.
Helen Freeman went to Illinois a few years back and she has helped me loads. Joy Haizelden has been a massive help too. I wouldn’t be shocked if they were just fed up with me and just shipped me off, to be honest. It’s nice because it shows the team are there for you and wants you to do better, no matter where.
Outside of sport, my idea was to begin with, to become a social worker but after everything I’ve done I’m so opened up to things in life I don’t care what I do. I just want to help others and give back. The NHS has been a massive part of me and my diagnosis and helping me deal with my disability so I hope to feed back into the NHS and I don’t really care which way I do that.
Jade Atkin on preparing for Paris 2024
How does it feel to be selected for your first Paralympic Games?
Representing your country is always amazing and I can’t say how I feel about Paris right now in the sense of GB but I can say from past experiences that when you see that vest and the amount of pride you get and your heart beats a little more. It’s so amazing and I always look back on my tournaments and think how lucky I am to have something that means so much to me that all my emotions are everywhere.
How have your own/team’s preparations been going for Paris 2024?
As for my individual thoughts on going to Paris, I haven’t processed it at all. If you were to ask me before what I was training for I would always say that I was training for Paris but I wasn’t ever training for selection and if I didn’t get selection I knew that I’d worked my hardest and if I did, I knew that I was training to be the best that I could be.
I think I’m still there, I’m still with that mindset and so I don’t think I’ll process going to Paris until I’m actually there. I feel like we’ve had a lot of camps together, a lot of preps together, a lot of time spent together accepting that this is how someone is going to be. It’s a really exciting process and I think the team is really good at helping each other along and helping each other up. I feel like the vibes are really good and we’ve worked hard to get to where the vibes are now. So it’s quite nice to see that it’s all come together.
What are you looking forward to the most at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, as well as aiming to secure a medal?
I’m thinking about the grab-and-go options. I imagine wanting a drink and it’s just outside! I’m excited about seeing all the other cultures, definitely the foods from other cultures. Obviously, that’s something I’ll have to keep on top of because I’m not there to eat, I’m there to play!
You can find out more about Jade Atkin by following her on Instagram.
Paris 2024 Paralympics: Women’s wheelchair basketball results
Despite only winning one of their three group games, the ParalympicsGB women’s wheelchair basketball team has secured a place in the quarter-finals.
They comfortably won their opening game to Spain (69 – 34) but narrowly lost to Canada (63 – 54) and then eaten by China (62 – 47).
On 4th September, GB played the USA in the quarter-final but were sadly knocked out with a scoreline of 59 – 52.
Speaking after the defeat, Jade said: “This will be my motivation for that, to get better and be better in LA. We’re coming for that gold.”
“Right now, I don’t reflect on it. Right now, I’m just brutally sad, to be honest… There are so many emotions that go through you in that game. How lucky are we to play a sport that can cause such emotions? How lucky am I to have such passion? When you are on court in that environment and you are all pumped, everyone has got the same feelings as you.”
They played Japan in a 5-8 classification match on Thursday, winning 67-55, and went on to play Germany in the 5/6 classification match, winning 48-39, to finish 5th place overall.
GB’s captain, Sophie Carrigill, reflected on the win and ParalympicsGB’s time in Paris:
“We felt really confident going into that game. It was important for us to finish on a win. We made it difficult for ourselves. It’s difficult sometimes going up for those games when you were so hopeful of a medal or a semi-final but I’m really proud of the girls’ resilience throughout, it has been incredible, the belief and support we have in each other has been incredible despite the highs and lows a Paralympics brings.”
She added: “I’m super excited for what’s next for this team, I think we are in a great place and moving in the right direction. Our support has been incredible, the fans have been unbelievable, we’ve had people getting behind us in each game which has felt amazing and we are really grateful for that.
“Our coaches have been incredible as well, how we play is completely down to them and we are making a statement in playing some really good basketball. The future is bright and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Be sure to catch up on Jade Atkin’s match appearances and the rest of the ParalympicsGB women’s wheelchair basketball squad at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on Channel 4.
What is wheelchair basketball?
Wheelchair basketball is played by two teams of five. The rules of the game are broadly similar to those of Olympic Basketball, with the same size court and basket height.
A team has 24 seconds from taking possession of the ball to complete its attempt on the basket. One point is scored for a successful free-throw, two for a normal field basket and three for a shot made from behind the arc of the three-point line.
Players move the ball around the court by passing or dribbling. A dribble is when a player bounces the ball and pushes the chair simultaneously or, places the ball on their lap and takes up to two pushes of the chair, bounces the ball, and then places the ball back on their lap.
Players are required to throw or bounce the ball after every two pushes of the wheels on their chairs to avoid being penalised for ‘travelling’.
Twelve teams compete in group stages in the men’s competition and 10 teams in the women’s, with the top teams qualifying for the knock-out rounds.
Matches consist of four quarters of 10 minutes each.
A player who commits five personal fouls must be replaced in the game by another player.
Check out our other interviews with wheelchair basketball player Peter Cusack and former wheelchair basketball player Ade Adepitan.