Following on from the success of Shanwayne, the RAF are proud of the talented personnel who have now qualified for the Beijing Winter Paralympic Games, beginning on the 4th March 2022.
The athletes have been supported to meet the demands of the Games through the RAF Elite Athlete Scheme, which grants personnel leave of absence away from their military roles to train or compete while in the Service, as well as access to kit, equipment, training facilities, and events. The RAF Central Fund grants charitable funding to those pursing their sport; learn more about the scheme here.
Shona Brownlee – Great Britain Para-alpine Skiing
Corporal Shona Brownlee has qualified for the Great Britain Para-alpine team in Sit Skiing and will compete in two speed and two technical events.
"My brain is still going through the motions, I have not really taken it all in. I keep thinking that if I just keep going, we will see what happens, but in truth I am there, I have qualified and been selected – so it’s exciting and odd at the same time. Maybe when I finally stand on the tarmac or get out on the slopes it will hit home."
Shona joined in 2012 as a RAF Musician, yet was unable to perform her beloved music with the Marching Band, after an ankle injury sustained during training left her reliant on crutches. Shona chose to amputate her leg six years later and, "felt much better. It was definitely the right decision."
The RAF supported Shona through the Rehabilitation programme, leading her to discover winter sports during a trip to Bavaria. Skiing was initially, "time away as a bit of fun, a break from things," but Shona soon joined the Armed Forces Para-Snowsport Team in 2014. She competed in the Europa Cup and North American Cup races, earning 11 gold, 12 silver and two bronze medals, and a world cup; finished second in the women's British Para-Triathlon Championships at Dorney Lake, England; a went on to be named the RAF Sportswoman of the Year 2021, before earning a MBE in the New Year Honours list.
Shona is supported through the RAF Elite Athlete Scheme, enabling her to maintain her love of music as a RAF Musician. Music became a coping mechanism for Shona and even honed invaluable skills that prepared her for the ski slopes. The dedicated mindset and rigorous training; the repetition and focus to perfect a performance; the way every movement is monitored and tested for any margin of improvement; the moments before the final performance, when emotions at the start of a music recital or start gate are reminiscent of the other; the single opportunity to perform well or be out the competition.
"When we are training for sit-ski, it is going over and over things I am doing wrong if I am missing a gate, I will focus on getting it right, again and again. When I am playing solo recitals, I will be doing things, for example if I am swimming, I will be visualising and playing the programme round in my head. This is the same with skiing. I visualise my run from course inspection and keep going over it."
Humorously, the ‘Top Gun’ theme song, composed by Harold Faltermeyer and Steve Stevens, has a particular French Horn part and underlying Air Force connection that fuels Shona to skiing success – as well as the famous catchphrase: "I feel the need, the need for speed!"
"There is one piece of music which one of my coaches started singing it in my ear before I would go on my runs, as a bit of a joke. It is a proud piece of music. It is confident. So maybe that’s why it has stuck. It sounds ridiculous but it really does help with the confidence, and now it is part of my runs."
Follow her journey at the Beijing Paralympics on Facebook: @GBSnowsport, and Instagram: @sitskishona.
Gary Smith – Para-alpine Skiing Guide
Sergeant Gary Smith has qualified for the Great Britain Para-alpine team as a ski Guide.
He joined the RAF in 2001, working as an ICT Technician on multiple Stations across the globe. He first experienced the slopes in 2002 during a RAF Skiing expedition to France, with 81 Signals Unit.
"Chucking myself down the blue run in the snowplough. It definitely wasn’t pretty and there were plenty of falls and crashes on the way down. But I was hooked, there was nothing better than letting skis run as fast as possible down the mountain."
Gary was invited to join another trip with the RAF Development Squad. He began working to perfect his technique and was soon selected to represent the RAF at the Combined Services Championships in 2006. Gary went on to be crowned the RAF Men’s Individual Champion in 2011 and Men’s Teams Captain for the Combined Services Championships, which he would maintain for the following six years.
In 2016, Gary trialled for the Great Britain Snowsports Para Alpine Team, as a ski-Guide for the visually impaired supporting those who rely on assistance to traverse the slopes by following the movement and verbal instructions of a guide.
Gary was paired with Kerry Gallagher and went on to win a gold and two bronze medals at the Aspen World Cup Finals 2016; attend the Pyongchang Paralympic Games 2018; and win a silver and two bronze medals at the Para Alpine World Championships 2019.
"It’s truly amazing how much trust she puts in me, to ski down the mountain at speeds of 100kmh plus."
After a brief break, during which Kelly started a family and Gary stepped in as a guide for Menna Fitzpatrick (who he will guide at the Beijing Games), the duo won multiple medals across the World Cup circuit; the Slalom Overall Globe; and brought home one of the highest medal counts at the World Championships in Norway.
The RAF supported Gary through the Elite Athlete Scheme and now Gary sets slopes for the Beijing Paralympic Games. Follow his journey on Facebook: @GB Snowsport, Instagram: @smiffy135, and Twitter: @smiffy135.
"We would like to thank everyone for the support. It truly wouldn’t be possible without the support of the Royal Air Force and everyone back home."
Good luck to Shona and Gary from the RAF, who are attending the Games!
For more, listen to RAF Elite and High Performing Athletes on InsideAIR.
