WEEKES Ben

Classification
Open (ITTF, 11 Jun 2021)

Type of Impairment
Impaired muscle power (Athlete, 20 Jul 2016)

Origin of Impairment
Congenital (Athlete, 20 Jul 2016)

Impairment Details
At age 13 he developed a blood clot in his spine that resulted in paraplegia. "I started to get pins and needles in my legs. It got higher and higher and worse and worse. After it happened, I was in hospital for about three months, then rehab for another year before I could start walking again." (theage.com.au, 02 Aug 2008; paralympic.org.au, 28 Apr 2011)

General
PLAYER COUNCIL
He has served on the International Tennis Federation [ITF] Wheelchair Tennis Player Council, first being elected in 2018 and earning re-election in 2020. "We have quietly been working behind the scenes to make sure that a player perspective gets added to the decisions for our sport. I have really enjoyed being a part of it and I think we have made good progress at establishing a better communication between the players and the decision makers. It's not always easy when there are a lot of different viewpoints, but it has definitely given me an appreciation to all the different ideas players have across different regions and different levels." (itftennis.com, 13 Feb 2021; insidethegames.biz, 31 Dec 2020)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
Alongside wheelchair tennis, he has worked part-time for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation [ABC]. He is also a trained pianist and composer, and has performed at the Sydney Opera House and other venues in Australia. (itftennis.com, 13 Feb 2021; (paralympic.org.au, 18 Sep 2016; theage.com.au, 02 Aug 2008)