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Adam Knott: London 2012, memories of the tournament and of the Olympic experience


My career in Goalball started one morning in early 2010 when my Dad was watching BBC Breakfast where a representative from ParalympicsGB was promoting Paralympic sport. After attending a 'Have a Go' day where I tried football, judo and Goalball, I was invited to join the Great Britain squads at a training camp, to give me a further understanding of the sport (talk about being thrown in at the deep end). Within months I was representing GB at the European Championships in Denmark, and have since represented my country in many Europeans, a World Youth Games and London 2012!

The whole of the games were one massive highlight, but I'll pick out a few really special moments...- Our first game was on the 30th August against the World Champions, Lithuania. Normally at a Goalball tournament we play in front of a few family and friends, so when entering the Copper Box arena with a crowd of 7000 cheering fans, this was a very surreal moment. - I scored a hat-trick in our game with eventual gold medallists, Finland!

After the games had finished, both TeamGB and ParalympicsGB paraded through London on open top buses. I would never have imagined that millions of people would take to the streets, hang out of windows, climb bus stops and telephone boxes to cheer us as we drove past. The sense of pride was overwhelming!

Representing ParalympicsGB at London 2012 was the best moment of my life. When I started Goalball, I had never imagined that I would represent my country, so to participate in Europeans, Worlds and the Paralympics is overwhelming.

I was also very fortunate to play alongside my brother, a very special moment. Not many brothers can say that they have represented their country together, in a sport they love, at a Paralympic games. London 2012 gave me a taste of a Paralympic games, and I am now more determined than ever to reach Tokyo 2020 to do it all again and come away with a medal. Lots of time, training and teamwork ahead!

Adam Knott

Follow @aknott94

Memory added on July 23, 2015

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