A para-athlete who partakes in wheelchair racing, judo, and taekwondo is fund-raising to get her first racing wheelchair.

Nicola Russell, from Saltcoats, has been racing for five years but has had to use her everyday wheelchair due to the high costs of specially manufactured racing chairs.

Her campaign looks to raise £4,000 so that she can finally afford a racing chair and compete in sporting events to the best of her ability.

She said: “I already push past the limit of what’s possible in a day chair and I probably would still do that because I enjoy a challenge, but it would be nice to not have to have that challenge and just be able to do actual wheelchair racing.

“Before I became physically disabled I used to go for a walk, or a jog as it helps my mental health. In the moments when I’m running nothing else exists and it’s the same when I’m in my wheelchair - all that stuff that’s weighing you down just sort of goes for that hour.”

Nicola has been trying to find ways to get a chair for several years now but has been unable to secure a grant as there are few available for adults.

Aside from competing in sports events she also coaches young people in the locality who participate in wheelchair racing through Inspire Athletics.

She hopes that by getting a racing wheelchair and therefore being able to participate in events to the best of her ability, she will be able to normalise being an adult with a disability to the children she coaches.

She added: “It’s important for the kids to realise that regardless of disability there’s potential to live independently.

“When one of the young boys does a competition and comes back and says, ‘I got a medal’ or ‘I got a personal best’, you’re so happy for them and that you’ve helped them gain that confidence.”

Outside of racing and coaching, Nicola has competed at a national level for taekwondo, participating in their P50 events and earning her second dan.

Despite this, she has been unable to find a club to practice in nearby and has to travel to East Kilbride to practice.

She said: “I got my black belt before I became physically disabled and when I wanted to go back into taekwondo everywhere told me ‘but you’re in a wheelchair, you can’t do this’ and the closest club that was willing to train me is in East Kilbride.

“If it was that hard for a blackbelt to find somebody it would be a lot harder for a white belt.”

Nicola hopes that by participating in sports she will be able to show that they are accessible for all.

To donate to her campaign, visit her Just Giving Page.