Blind athlete Lindy Hou was ‘oar-inspiring’ at the Pan Pacific Masters Games (3 – 11 November) indoor rowing competition at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre this week claiming three gold medals.
The 52-year-old from Canberra, who suffers from a degenerative eye condition called retinis pigmentosa, is totally blind but has not let her disability stop her from becoming a dominant force on the world sporting stage.
The gold, silver and bronze cycling medallist from the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games decided to compete at the Pan Pacific Masters Games only three weeks ago after she was invited by a local netball team to be their masseuse.
“I was asked by the Canberra Classics ladies netball team to come up here and look after the 60+ netball team and since I was coming up I decided I may as well enter the indoor rowing competition,” said Lindy.
“So about three weeks ago I thought I’d better start doing some training so that I wouldn’t fall off the boat.
“I should have played netball because the lights went out the other night at the grounds and I would have had an advantage over the girls straight away,” she said.
Her short training schedule proved to be enough as she took the gold medals in the women’s 50-54 four minute, 1000m and 2000m events and a silver in the women’s 500m race.
Lindy’s interest in indoor rowing ignited during her rehabilitation from an operation and she said the sport provides her with a sense of freedom as she doesn’t have to rely on a pilot as she does in cycling.
“I started indoor rowing because I had a knee operation and the rowing machine was good rehab’ and my physio’ encouraged me to do it,” said Lindy.
“As I started doing it I discovered it is something I can do regardless of my vision impairment and I can compete on the same level as everyone else.
“The only slight problem is that I can’t read the monitor so someone has to read it to me, but apart from that it is all me.”
This was Lindy’s second time competing in a Masters competition after she participated at the World Masters Games in 1994. It was however the first time she has competed being legally blind.
“Back in 1994 I went into the World Masters Games when it was held in Brisbane and I actually did the triathlon,” said Lindy.
“I was starting to lose my sight at that stage and it was my swansong to triathlon because I stopped competing in it after that because it was getting too hard for me to see and it was dangerous.
“So it was my first Masters Games and also my last Masters Games as an able-bodied athlete.”
Witnessing Lindy’s achievements at the Pan Pacific Masters Games was her guide dog, Harper and a large fan base that cheered her to glory.
“I think I had the biggest cheer squad here than anyone else,” said Lindy.
“I had the entire netball team and some of my family, who happened to be on holidays, come and watch as well as a couple of local friends.”
Her enthusiasm for sport and indoor rowing was infectious at the event and, although the indoor rowing competition is over, her focus now is on getting the netball ladies fully fit for the finals.
“I think I’ve managed to keep most of them injury free because we’ve been doing a lot of good recovery in the swimming pool,” said Lindy.
“As the body gets older it doesn’t recover quite as quickly, but that’s my job to try and get them recovered quickly and fresh for the finals.”
Lindy said she hopes she will compete at the 2014 Pan Pacific Masters Games and inspire more people to have a go at indoor rowing.
“I think I will compete in two years time, especially if the netball team want me back again,” said Lindy.
“I hope I’ve encouraged a few more people to partake in indoor rowing.”
The new system was born here and filagra this is not anything that we would like to see. Caverta although better in some elements but not significant for us.
