Paralympic double gold medallist Mary Fisher has entered to compete in the Tarawera Ultramarathon 85km distance in February next year. PHOTO/ BW MEDIA.
Paralympic double gold medallist Mary Fisher has entered to compete in the Tarawera Ultramarathon 85km distance in February next year. PHOTO/ BW MEDIA.
Paralympic double gold medallist Mary Fisher has sent out a message of intent for anyone with a disability after entering the Tarawera Ultramarathon.
On the back of Fisher's Rio de Janeiro success in the pool the 23-year-old found herself in a swimming lull - uncertain about her 2017 schedule. So she decided to prepare for a different challenge, the 85km Tarawera Ultramarathon in February.
Wellington-based Fisher said her experiences as a world champion in the pool gave her the confidence to rise to such a challenge.
"Swimming has been the vehicle for me to feel confident, form new relationships and go places .... that act of being engaged with the world. You can do stuff with the right support and the right mindset," she said.
"I don't think I have anything to worry about, I'm going to have a good time and enjoy the outdoors."
But Fisher is downplaying what would be an enormous challenge for any athlete let alone one with only light perception, classified as "totally blind".
She will have a guide with her but the terrain will be tricky with roots, rocks and steps from Rotorua to Kawerau on trails and forestry roads among planted and native forests.
"I'm just looking forward to that challenge of being outdoors because for the last six years everything has been focused on swimming," Fisher said.
Mary Fisher, in action in the Women 400m LC Freestyle Para at the Swimming New Zealand 2016 NZ Open Championships, held at Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre, Auckland. PHOTO/FILE.
When Fisher was born she had aniridia, a rare genetic condition resulting in low vision which deteriorated as a teenager.
"I really appreciate the sight I did have but it is hard as a teenager to go through that," she said. "As my sight got worse, I had to learn to use a cane and read Braille which made me different from my peers. Swimming was the equaliser for me.
"It was a bit isolating though and my reaction to it was that it is hard to say 'oh yeah I want to use a cane' because it feels like that tool will give you less independence or people are going to look at you and form assumptions about you as a blind person.
"In reality, using those kind of tools and Braille gives you more autonomy and independence because you can do more things by yourself and not walk into walls and feel stupid."
In 2007, she made her debut for the New Zealand Para-Swimming team at a Darwin multi-sport competition.
Five years later she won gold, two silvers and a bronze at the London Paralympics and set a new world record in the 200m individual medley.
"London was everything I dreamed of and more. Everything clicked into place and bringing home four medals was just incredible," Fisher said.
She credits then coach Luke Clark, parents Jenny and Mike and brother Simon and friends and flatmates with her success.
"Mum and dad and Simon provided support in other ways that no sighted athlete would ever need," she said.
The following year she was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year honours for her services to swimming.
She was named disabled sportsperson of the year at the 2015 Halberg Awards and shortly after teamed up with legendary Paralympic swim coach Jon Shaw to prepare for Rio de Janeiro.
Olympic parasport swimmer Mary Fisher celebrates after winning the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation Disabled Sportsperson of the Year at the 52nd Halberg Awards last year. PHOTO/FILE.
It meant Rio was completely different from London. She was no longer a teenager, unlike London she was expected to win and she had a new coach who she had to trust.
But gold in the 100m backstroke in a world record time justified all that hard work.
Shaw has moved back to Sydney and Fisher is between coaches.
The words 'role model' are often used too liberally when it comes to sportspeople. In Fisher's case, they are apt.
"It is nice when people respond to us as Paralympians and I like to use that for goal-setting," Fisher said.
