A pioneer of wheelchair basketball is in the running for the Chronicle’s Your Champions awards.
Anna Jackson, who lives in Upton, took up wheelchair basketball in 1997 after retiring from hockey due to knee problems which stopped her playing running sports.
After playing for just over six months she was invited to attend trials for the GB women’s wheelchair basketball team and was selected to join the squad.
A ten-year international playing career followed, during which she won bronze at the Paralympic World Cup in 2008 and played at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics.
Now forty-three-year-old Anna is head coach and player for Cheshire Phoenix Wheelchair Basketball Club.
She is passionate about promoting disabled sports and always keen to recruit new members to the Chester-based club, which actively raises awareness in the local community about the sport.
It formed last year as part of a partnership between the former Celtic Warriors side and the current professional British Basketball League side Cheshire Phoenix.
As well as her club commitments and part-time job working for the Post Office, busy Anna is also a Sporting Champion – part of a Sport England initiative bringing world-class athletes face-to-face with young people and young adults to inspire and motivate them.
Anna, who works part-time for the Post Office, said: “I am really honoured to have been nominated for this award.
“Wheelchair basketball means the world to me and to get recognition for all the hard work going on to develop the sport in the local area is brilliant.
Anna added that the club may still be in its infancy but its future is bright.
“Cheshire Phoenix Wheelchair Basketball club is only 18 months old, but is growing all the time.
“Although I have been nominated for this award, I have to thank our players, committee members and supporters as without them I would not be in the privileged position of heading up such an amazing new club.”
