Lily Rice, a 13-year-old from Pembrokeshire, England, just became an internet sensation after her daring back-flip in WCMX, or wheelchair motocross, was posted on Facebook:
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The first female in Europe and the second girl in the world to execute a back-flip, Lily is not one to let anything stand in her way. She has a progressive condition called Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), which limits her mobility and requires her to use a wheelchair most of the time.
“I wear splints on a daily basis and have Botox injections to try and help relax some of the muscles. I find it tiring and painful to walk hence I use a wheelchair most of the time,” said Lily.
“Skating helps me feel free and forget about my problems, and I want to show others that you can do anything you want to,” Lily told the Western Telegraph.
Lily got into the sport after meeting Aaron Wheelz Fotheringham, the current world champion of WCMX. He later gave her his old wheelchair, and she says, “I have been shredding at the skatepark ever since. ”
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In addition to wheelchair motocross, Lily is an avid swimmer who has qualified for the Welsh Paralympic youth team.
As for her accomplishment, Lily pronounced herself “stoked” on social media.
Her father, Mark, told the Western Telepgraph, “Lily has really found a passion in WCMX and there’s a big future ahead for the sport, which she really wants to be a part of.”
Lily is trying to raise money for a new WCMX wheelchair and a trip to California for the March 2018 WCMX world championships. If she attends she will be the first British person to take part.
And today we celebrate...