Richard Osborn, from Cowdenbeath, has battled a serious spinal injury to sign up with Disability Sport Fife and within three months he has made significant progress.

Following his athlete induction meeting, Richard agreed to swim in the DSF swimming championships in Glenrothes, and in that first swim meet it was clear he had performance potential.

Qualification for the Scottish Championships at Grangemouth led to another series of fine swims and recognition that Richard had a performance swimming career ahead. Richard’s excellent swims helped Fife to a win in the team competition at the “nationals”.

Richard is 27 and a diving instructor. In August 2009, an accident in Cyprus left him with a spinal paralysis at the level T6/T7. Richard is a wheelchair user and his new swimming training regime has to take account of the functional restriction he now has in his lower limbs and trunk. Every training session is about learning how to adapt but at the same time strive for perfection in stroke technique, he said.

DSF facilitated an introduction to Carnegie Swimming Club and introduced Richard to head coach John Szaranek who has agreed to coach Richard. He has signed up for the Scottish Disability Sport Performance Gala at Tollcross International Swimming Centre this month. On the same weekend he will receive a classification from British Swimming.

Richard’s performance career will then be well and truly launched as he competes in his first long course swim meet against Scotland’s leading Para sport swimmers.

Richard now works for ENABLE, in Dysart, and is keen to try other sports. Richard has already had a tennis coaching session with Alan Russell at Dunfermline Tennis Club, and hopes to follow in the footsteps of fellow DSF members Brad Stewart and Graham McIntyre, and try wheelchair curling.

Richard has already had a spell in wheelchair basketball with Lothian Phoenix but his swimming abilities and potential have encouraged him to concentrate on the sport which has offered him so much throughout his life.

DSF is proud to support Richard as a new member and help him on a sporting pathway which hopefully will assist him to meet his personal goals as a very talented sports person.