Beth Munro’s Inspiring Story
Paralympic Silver Medallist Insists She Wouldn’t Be Where She Is Today Without Para Events Like Swansea’s Para-Sport Festival
Beth Munro’s inspiring story is a testament to the hard work that Disability Sport Wales has put into supporting para sport in Wales.
It was a chance encounter with former athlete Anthony Hughes at a DSW para sport event in Wrexham that helped Munro on her way to becoming a Paralympic medallist, just two years after picking up Para Taekwondo for the first time.
The Paralympian hopes the 2023 festival will help more people become involved in para sport and help produce another explosion in Disability Sport ahead of Paris 2024, after the success of London 2012.
The festival will be returning to Swansea Bay this July between Monday 10th – Sunday 16th and hopes to be even bigger and better than last year’s successful event.
The multi-sport and multi-venue aspect of the festival is sure to make it an exciting and diverse event, with something for everyone to enjoy.
The festival will continue to promote and encourage inclusivity in sports, and there will be more national status tournaments and opportunities to get involved in for participants, volunteers, and spectators.
Munro said:
“The amount of sports and athletes that will be there to show the local community what is on offer, to show the sense of community and fun you can have, is really important.
Munro, a counsellor-turned-Paralympian, initially got involved in professional sports at an event in Wrexham, where she went to watch someone else compete:
“It was a last-minute thing, but I convinced myself to go. I hadn’t really done a para sport event before that, so I wanted to see what it was like.
“I drove an hour and a half to Wrexham. My parents probably thought I was a bit wacky.
“When I got there, I met Anthony Hughes, and he said that line; that he could make me a Paralympian. I had to google him afterwards just to make sure he was who he said he was.”
Munro, a keen sports enthusiast in her youth, was convinced to take a chance and pursue a career change.
It was by chance that Munro was able to find her passion, which reignited her competitive edge. She hopes that the Para Sport Festival in Swansea and similar events can help other people realise similar dreams.
“These Disability Sports Wales, and the events that they put on are so important; and allow people from all walks of life to see what is available and to give them something to aspire to,” the 29-year-old added.
“Just to open sport up to more people, to see what they like and don’t like, is so important, and like my story, they could be Paralympians of the future.
“Some people don’t know para-Taekwondo is a thing until they see me. It’s not just for young children, these events are for people of all ages. I was 27 when I took up Takewondo.
“There are a few athletes in my category who are 40 plus. It’s never too late, just give it a go and see what happens.”
From the outset, the aspirations for this Para Sport Festival have been focused on developing a genuine legacy of both participation and competitive opportunities for disabled people in Swansea and beyond.
The event will feature sports such as Boccia, Para Fencing, Para Shooting, Para Golf, isport, Deaf football, Wheelchair rugby, Para Triathlon and Ironman 70.3.
For more information please visit parasportfestival.co.uk