One of the Co-operative Group’s digital team is bidding to reach this year’s Paralympic Games in Rio.
Carly Tait works as a digital campaign assistant manager for Co-operative Food and has cerebral palsy. She is currently ranked third in Great Britain for the 100m wheelchair sprint.
She has now taken a paid career break from her work at the Group in order to set her sights full-time on qualifying for September’s Paralympics.
Ms Tait joined her local club, Stockport Harriers Wheelchair Racing one month after the London Games in 2012. She said: “I never realised the opportunities that existed for disability sport, my knowledge was limited and there was nothing I had seen that I could relate to until the buzz and attention of London 2012 opened my eyes.
“Less than four years on, I have competed against all the girls that inspired me at the London Games, and I am in the world top ten in my 100m, 400m and 800m class.
“Now, with the backing of The Co-op, I have time to train and exercise better, buy and prepare more nutritional food and attend sports psychologists and physios. Having achieved all I that I have while working full-time, the Co-op’s support has now given me a real chance of being on that plane to Rio.”
The Co-operative Group will be following Ms Tait’s progress this year through a series of Road to Rio blogs.
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