Amy Clegg, a 21-year-old from Trafford, is a competitive skier chasing her dream of competing in the Winter Paralympics, despite being told as a child she would likely never walk.
Amy was born 11 weeks prematurely, weighing less than a bag of sugar. As a baby, she repeatedly stopped breathing and required resuscitation from her parents on several occasions. At age one, she was diagnosed as profoundly deaf, and at 18 months, she was told she had cerebral palsy. Doctors told her parents she would likely never walk and that physical activity would be extremely difficult.
From School Trip to Competitive Skiing
Despite being discouraged from participating in sport, Amy pursued activities independently, including dancing, trampolining, swimming, and wheelchair tennis. Her sporting journey began with a ski trip at age 15 while at St Anthony's RC High School in Urmston. After seeing how much Amy enjoyed skiing, her mum found Disability Snowsport UK (DSUK), a charity that helps disabled people access the sport.
She spent hours on the indoor slope at Chill Factore, now The Snow Centre, near The Trafford Centre, honing her skills before beginning competitive skiing aged 17. "Nothing compares to the feeling I get when I'm skiing. Being on the mountain feels like flying," she said.
Challenges and Progress
Amy has faced challenges accessing suitable training facilities, particularly where lifts and infrastructure have not been designed with accessibility in mind. She has also faced setbacks, including losing a development coach and funding issues, but remains determined to progress. One of her proudest recent achievements was beginning dry slalom training, a discipline she only started learning last year.
In 2022, she achieved her dream of joining the GB Para Alpine Development Team. She has her sights set on representing Britain at the 2030 Winter Paralympic Games in Tignes, France.
Balancing Sport and Studies
Amy is juggling her para-skier ambitions with a degree in Accounting and Business Management at University Academy 92 (UA92), founded by Manchester United's 'Class of 92' - Gary and Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and Nicky Butt - in partnership with Lancaster University. She began her degree in April and completed her first year in December, allowing her to take the winter months away from university to focus on skiing.
"I needed the winter off to travel around Europe, training and competing to prepare for the recent Winter Paralympics this year. I started my studies in April, so my first year finished in December," she said. Alongside her studies, she receives support through the Talented Athlete Programme (TAP) and makes use of sessions with UA92's Gym and Physical Activity Officers to help manage her sporting commitments.
Amy said she wanted to encourage other young people with disabilities who want to pursue sport at a high level to go for it. "Don't give up," she said. "There will be challenges, but it's important to stay focused on what you want to achieve." Danielle Rodwell-Farrell, Head of Sport at UA92, said: "Young athletes have often felt they needed to choose between pursuing their sporting ambitions and investing in their future career. What makes Amy’s story so powerful is that she has refused to see those ambitions as mutually exclusive. While working towards her Paralympic goals, she’s also laying the foundations for a career in forensic accounting."
