The dust has settled on the Wheelchair Rugby Paralympic tournament, Great Britain made history by becoming the first European Nation to win Paralympic gold. While USA and Japan rounded off the medals with silver and bronze respectively.
During the tournament Beau Greenway on behalf of the WWR interviewed Michelle Nicholas Covid Liaison Office and Jacques Erasmus Chief Classifier of the event. Discussing topics such as the Wheelchair Rugby Tournament, Paralympic hopes, and the future of WWR.
Michelle Nicholas
- COVID Liaison Officer World Wheelchair Rugby
- Assistant Technical Delegate at Tokyo 2020
Michelle Nicholas was the COVID Liaison Officer for World Wheelchair Rugby at the Tokyo Paralympic Games a really important role to ensure all the officials followed covid protocols throughout the games.
In 2016, she was asked to come on board to assist with recruitment and training of table officials for the annual Australian national championships held in Sydney and has been involved ever since. Nicholas’ first major involvement with wheelchair rugby was the 2018 World Championship in Sydney as the score table co-ordinator. The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games was her first time travelling for wheelchair rugby.
Jacques Erasmus
- Chief Classifier for World Wheelchair Rugby, Tokyo 2020
Jacques was the Chief Classifier for World Wheelchair Rugby, at Tokyo 2020 games and managed a team of six international classifiers – ensuring all the administrative aspects around classification at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games were addressed.
WWR: How did you first get involved with wheelchair rugby?
Erasmus: In 2005 during the Asia-Oceania Zonal Championships in South Africa.
Nicholas: I first got involved as a table official for wheelchair rugby at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games.
WWR: What excited you about the sport?
Erasmus: I investigated various sports during the time I managed a Rehabilitation Unit in an attempt to get clients involved in sport early on during their rehabilitation phase and certainly following after rehabilitation.
Nicholas: I loved this new and exciting sport having been involved with wheelchair basketball for several years prior to this.
WWR: What do you like the most?
Erasmus: The game is tactical, fast paced, and full contact – all of which contributes to a very exciting game.
Nicholas: Anyone who watches it for the first time is blown away by how energetic the games are and how intense the contact is.
WWR: What would you tell people who’ve never seen the sport before?
Erasmus: Get ready to be excited and inspired at the same time!
Nicholas: I would tell anyone that has not seen the sport of wheelchair rugby before that it is something that everyone should experience. Watch one game and you will be hooked.
WWR: What do you see for the future of the sport? For the future of WWR?
Erasmus: The sport of Wheelchair Rugby will continue to grow, and I hope that further development will be soon possible again in the developing nations.
Nicholas: I see the future of the sport as one that sees more countries and therefore more athletes from across the globe participating, and eventually, just like Denmark, who have the opportunity to debut at the Paralympics.
