Lucy gains confidence on social media through #WeAreSport
Australia’s multiple swimming gold medallist Jade Lucy has found a new confidence to use social media through the International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) #WeAreSport campaign.
#WeAreSport aims to give female athletes the tools and knowledge to utilise their online presence more effectively. This will enable them to inspire other women and girls to try sport, and show the world that athletes with intellectual impairments train just as hard as anyone else.
Lucy, who started swimming when she was five, was one of 11 athletes from around the world to take part in an online seminar. The Australian was also supported by two administrators, Anula Costa and Chantel Lewis, as well as her mother Leanne.
Lucy said she learned: “How important it is to get lots of likes on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Everything was interesting and I enjoyed learning more things.”
As a result, Lucy said she feels more confident to use her Facebook page and continues to use Instagram to great effect. She also started a Twitter account in August after the #WeAreSport seminar and is using her new knowledge to build her following.
“I posted my training at the gym and I posted my award I won at my swimming club,” Lucy said.
Of her growing swimming career, Lucy said her proudest achievement is: “Winning my first gold medal in the 400m free at Global Games in Ecuador 2015 and winning silver in the 200 free at the Australian Swimming Champs 2018.”
In 2019 the Australian will get to defend her title when the World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games take place on her home turf in Brisbane. She is also a triple World Intellectual Impairment Sport world champion in the women’s II1.
About #WeAreSport
#WeAreSport is supported by the Agitos Foundation, the development arm of the IPC, through their 2017 Grant Support Programme.
All materials used during the seminars, including a Quick Start Guide to Social Media and a longer guide, are available in a variety of languages for all World Intellectual Impairment Sport members to use here.
