UEL team support Superheroes Para Tri event
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Published
22 August 2022
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East London Phoenix players Amy Conroy, Alice McHaffie, and coach Michael Hanson-Morris provided wheelchair basketball coaching sessions for over 150 people at the Superheroes Para Tri event at Dorney Lake, Windsor on Saturday 20 August 2022.
The University of East London (UEL) team was part of the first ever British Wheelchair Basketball Women's Premier League, which launched in January. The Phoenix reached the play-off final before losing to Loughborough by just 9 points.
The Phoenix regularly runs wheelchair basketball workshops in the community and at local schools in East London. The team had been invited by the organiser of the event, Sophia Warner BEM, a former Team GB Paralympian, who runs the twice-yearly event, 'Superheroes' in the summer and 'Winter Wonderwheels' in the winter for people with disabilities to take part in a series of sporting challenges.
Amy was a celebrity captain on the day and took part in the 150m swim, while Alice, who had travelled from York to be at the event, which was based near Windsor, coached people of all ages with support from coach Michael Hanson-Morris while balancing photo opportunities with Superman, Wonder Woman, and sports presenter Clare Balding!!
Interesting fact: the Superman outfit was a direct replica of the suit Henry Cavill wore in the Superman movies. One of the event sponsors, Marvel, also sent 'The Black Widow' and 'Spiderman' to entertain the athletes and the crowd throughout the day and to reinforce the superheroes theme.
Celebrity wheelchair basketball match
After Amy, who won a bronze medal with Team England at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in the 3x3 wheelchair basketball event, had finished her swim and Alice temporarily paused her coaching sessions with Michael Hanson-Morris, both picked up a captaincy role for a celebrity match. Alice's team ran out 7-3 winners with Channel 4 'The Last Leg' host Alex Brooker watching on with an enthusiastic crowd.
Several Paralympians attended the event, including two-time Paralympic champion Richard Whitehead and other sports were represented.
Amy said on the day, "It's been a privilege and a pleasure to be here and so inspiring to meet so many athletes from other para-sports and people of all ages, many of whom have taken an interest in wheelchair basketball."
Alice said, "It's been great fun, and I've really enjoyed hosting the coaching sessions with Michael. Everyone has been really positive about wheelchair basketball and I hope that we've encouraged some of them to try it again."
*Highlights of the event are currently planned to be broadcast on Channel 4 on Sunday 4 September at 8.30am.