“I hated swimming having a passion in order that was my challenge – in an attempt to swim with one wing fundamentally,” she claims. “all of it simply type of started after that. I love a challenge all of the right time.”
Dagg ended up being brand brand New Zealand’s Para triathlon champ from 2017 to 2019 throughout the PTS4 and 5 categories.
In between finding your way through her challenges, Dagg works at Parafed Manawatu as an activity development consultant. She took within the role about couple of years ago after she had been feeling better from her operations.
“I happened to be so happy getting that place. We make use of the essential kids that are extremely amazing simply love sport. What more am I able to request? We reckon I’ve got the most useful task in the field,” Dagg says.
“I encourage them into sport and their goal that is primary is go to your Halberg Games each year, that are approaching in April. So they can compete because that’s the Olympics for them. and so I have actually the awesome work to getting them up and prepared for the games”
Dagg is not bitter about her accident and she’dn’t turn back the clock. “It’s been the greatest journey of my entire life these final two-and-a-half, 3 years. I would personallyn’t experienced possibilities such as this,” she says.
“Every time I’ve done something and it also starts getting hard, I state вЂShaz, don’t give in, it comes down from within’. When we say I mean it comes from in your heart that it comes from within. In the event that you really would like one thing, you are going to do it.”
Dagg knows her motivations are hers but this woman is always ready to share her experiences. “The primary thing is, this is certainly my journey but it is additionally not merely my journey,” she claims. “It’s my hubby’s journey and my friends’ journey too.”
Her spouse, Owen, is her biggest supporter. Regrettably he could not be here to see her complete the Coast to Coast, claims Dagg, who pauses throughout the phone to nevertheless her shaking voice.
“Without their help there isn’t any means i might manage to attain some of these objectives,” she says. “without him whether it had been the triathlon, travelling halfway around the friggin’ world doing silly things, I just wouldn’t be able to do it. I actually do it him proud too. for him too – to make”
As soon as we talk on the phone, half an hour after getting back again to her home in Fielding from her week-end adventure, Dagg claims doing the battle hasn’t actually sunk in yet.
“I’ll probably sit back tonight and go вЂwow, it is over, I’ve done it’,” she laughs. “It’s a genuine moment that is surreal to really have the help team that I experienced, ended up being simply unbelievable. I would personallyn’t have already been able to perform it without them.”
Fellow Coast to Coast competitors assist Shaz Dagg to get a cross the Otira River. Picture: Kathmandu Coast to Coast | Peter Meecham
She ended up being initially paired up with Paralympic silver medallist Kate Horan within the team that is two-person – together they’d have already been the very first amputee group to compete within the Coast to Coast. Nevertheless when Horgan withdrew, it left Dagg thinking on her legs once more.
“ we was thinking it could’ve been therefore cool for the leg amputee as well as a supply amputee doing it. And so I ended up being disappointed. But i really could see she had her thinking; we totally understand that and straight back her,” she says.
“It just made me more determined. I was thinking вЂright, carry it on. If this has to be by one wing, we are doing it’.”
Dagg isn’t any longer choosing the postponed Paralympics in Tokyo, and even though she qualified for the triathlon. It ended up being decided by her was too dangerous with and also the price ended up being excessive.
“Itis just so travelling that is expensive around the globe like We have done,” Dagg says. “It’s all self-funded and I also simply couldn’t afford to carry on going. After which whenever Covid hit, that has been like an indication: вЂOk, that is it’.
“I’m sure it might be an honour also it could be a peak in lots of athletes’ lives and jobs. But in that situation with Covid. for me, i actually do n’t need to put myself”
But that doesn’t suggest it prevents here for Dagg. She would like to achieve whatever she places her head to next in the foreseeable future.
“Life is just too brief,” she says. “We say that all the full time but things can transform in a heartbeat. And until one thing does, you never ever genuinely believe that saying.
“So from right right here, we don’t understand where I’m going to get or exactly exactly what I’m planning to do, but I’m I’ll that is sure find. And you also understand what, possibly Coast to Coast will I would ike to go when you look at the kayak solo and even if some body is with in another ship heading down behind me personally.
“But don’t worry – brand new challenges will always coming. I’m nevertheless ticking away there.”
For the present time, Dagg takes some slack from preparation, but she won’t stop training.
“I’ll keep moving. You cannot stop – it really is like a medication I suppose,” she states. “Once you begin feeling healthier, you wish to remain healthy. If the mind is clear and healthy, the remainder of you tattoo dating websites is.
“I simply want to live my entire life towards the most useful I am able to. I would like individuals to look back and go, it her allвЂYep she gave. She was lived by her life into the best’.”
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