Jermaine Jenas is put to the test in wheelchair rugby by Britain’s stars as the ex-footballer reveals he is in a ‘bit of pain’ after some ‘heavy blows’
- Great Britain won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in wheelchair rugby
- The sport is growing rapidly, with a total of 34 clubs across the UK
- Jermaine Jenas was given the opportunity to practice the sport for the first time
Former Tottenham and Newcastle star Jermaine Jenas tried wheelchair rugby this week.
The sport is growing rapidly after Britain won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, with a total of 34 clubs in the UK.
These teams play in three disciplines of the sport: Paralympic wheelchair rugby, wheelchair fives rugby and three-vs-three wheelchair rugby.
And Jenas, along with rugby players from Saracens and Harlequins, took part in training with some of Britain’s biggest stars just a year after the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
The session in which the football player turned expert took part took place at the Aspire National Training Center in Stanmore, where the sport continued to evolve from grassroots level to elite level.
Former football player Jermaine Jenas tried his hand at wheelchair rugby, a Paralympic sport
Jenas (right) was put to the test with stars from the Harlequins and Saracens rugby teams
He learned the rules and got the chance to experience the sport firsthand
Jenas and the rugby players – including Shaunagh Brown, Bryony Cleall, Hayden Hyde and Hugh Tizard – learned the rules and had the chance to experience the sport first-hand, while also discussing key issues around elite-level competition, including mental health and the growth of women’s sport.
Wheelchair rugby is played indoors on a hardwood pitch, and physical contact between wheelchairs is an integral part of the game.
The sport is administered by World Wheelchair Rugby (WWR), which was established in 1993.
After being tested, Jenas explained how much he had enjoyed his first experience of wheelchair rugby and the potential he saw in the sport.
The former midfielder said he thoroughly enjoyed his first experience of wheelchair rugby
Although he admitted that he felt “a little sore” after being involved in some serious collisions
He said: ‘Wheelchair rugby has gone from strength to strength in Britain, with our national team taking gold for the first time at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
Since then, France has won the European Championship and is hosting the Paralympic Games next year, which means it’s likely to be a fierce showdown between us and them in Paris.
“Having played my first game with the UK wheelchair rugby team, I can’t wait to see them in action. The game is all about high stakes and heavy hits, which is a lot of fun – although I’m a little sore right now!’
Jenas will also be involved in an explainer video to further promote the sport, alongside the stars of Harlequins and Saracens, both of whom have wheelchair rugby teams in the national league.
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