AYERS Nikki

Classification
PR3 (World Rowing, 03 Jun 2021)

Origin of Impairment
Acquired (abc.net.au, 28 Jul 2021)

Impairment Details
In 2016 she sustained a severe knee injury during a rugby union pre-season match which left her with permanent damage to her popliteal artery and peroneal nerve causing her to develop foot drop. She also developed compartment syndrome due to a lack of blood supply to the lower part of her right leg. In nine months she endured 16 surgeries to remove dead muscle tissue. "We were winning and in prime form. I made a break down the sideline, offloaded the ball and got tackled. I looked down and my knee was facing one way and my foot was facing the other. I was on the ground rolling around screaming. I knew my rugby career was over, but I didn't know my injury would open up new doors. I lived, breathed and slept rugby. It was my life. Rowing ended up helping me get through my injury and my rehab." (abc.net.au, 28 Jul 2021; naroomanewsonline.com.au, 23 Jul 2021; the-riotact.com, 06 Dec 2019; smh.com.au, 16 Aug 2018)

General
OCCUPATION
She works as a nurse at Canberra Hospital in Australia. In 2020 she was assigned clinical care coordinator for COVID-19 patients. "If that Paralympic dream is put on hold, so be it. This is far more important. I have a specialised skill set that the community desperately needs. I'm lucky that I can contribute." A year later, in the lead up to the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo she dropped hours at work to increase training. "Rowing ended up helping me get through my injury and my rehab but juggling training and nursing on top of that was a bit of a wake-up call. I decreased my work hours to two days a week, which has helped me get in my prime and focus on my goal." (abc.net.au, 28 Jul 2021; naroomanewsonline.com.au, 23 Jul 2021; the-riotact.com, 17 Apr 2020)

INSPIRATION
She was inspired by Australian wheelchair racer Kurt Fearnley and Para rower Jed Altschwager while recovering from her knee injury. "When I injured my knee, I read Kurt Fearnley's book which was motivational. It was about realising that if you have been dealt a bad card, you can do something to make the most of it. Also, being a part of the elite athlete world where so many have overcome adversity and challenges to adapt and be independent. The hardest part was coming to grips with the scar I've got. I always used to wear pants [to hide it]. But when I met [Jed Altschwager] and heard about how he embraced who he was, that helped. I stopped wearing pants and when I had that confidence I could embrace it more. When you get stronger, you get more confidence to push yourself and find those new boundaries to break." (naroomanewsonline.com.au, 23 Jul 2021; smh.com.au, 16 Aug 2018)