Collis 'buzzing' for Cardiff European Championships

Two weeks ago, Paralympian Gemma Collis was not sure if she would even be able to compete at this week's Para Fencing European Championships in Cardiff.

Significant health issues in recent months had forced Collis to take time away from training, with uncertainty whether she could participate in the first European qualifying event for the LA28 Paralympics.

But ahead of this week's Championships, which will be held from 6-11 October at the Sport Wales National Centre, the 33-year-old says she is "absolutely buzzing" to compete on home soil.

"It was only probably in the last two weeks that I've been confident that I would be at this European Championships," she told BBC Sport Wales.

The Cardiff event will be the first ever UK-hosted European Championships that Collis will have the opportunity to compete in.

The last time the European Championships were held in the UK - in Sheffield in 2011 - was a year before Collis joined the GB squad.

But hearing stories from her teammates about the competition has made her even prouder to be part of it.

Though the qualifying is in the UK, it is not the only reason why Collis is looking forward to competing.

She will also get to represent Wales as part of Team GB at Sport Wales National Centre in Cardiff.

She said: "I'm really looking forward to it being in Wales. I think that makes it extra special as kind of the Welsh member of the team.

"I always get such a warm reception there, there's been a lot of outreach stuff in the lead-up to the championships as well, with local schools.

"I've been getting sent news articles that children have written about me.

"So it's really, really special to feel like you have that extra bit of support."

The lead up in the past couple of months have not been easy for the four-time Paralympian.

Her preparations have been hampered by health issues, making it the most difficult build-up Collis has ever experienced ahead of an event.

With the Championship being the first LA28 qualifier, it has also created extra pressure going into the competition.

But Collis says, despite that extra pressure, she is going to be happy, enjoy herself and "just be really grateful for the fact that I'm there".

"I think I fence my best when I'm enjoying myself," she said.

"I'll literally kind of say to myself when I put my mask on, like, enjoy the problem solving. So, if you get hit, don't worry about it."

"It's not life or death, each individual hit. Actually, take that information and go, okay, fine, that's what just happened, what do I do next? And enjoy that aspect of it - it's just so fun."

Collis' journey to world number two in Para-fencing with the epee did not originally start in the sport.

In fact she "very nearly said no" when GB's head coach for wheelchair fencing, Laszlo Jakab, had asked if she was interested in trying the sport out.

She had been involved in sports since her childhood where she competed in figure skating, hockey and then finally athletics where she exceled in triple jump.

Collis even had ambitions to become an Olympian after watching Cathy Freeman run.

However, at a competition she experienced an ankle injury which over time turned into one of the most painful conditions - Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

Things improved as Collis accepted CRPS was her new reality.

It led her to wheelchair basketball and soon she got into Para-fencing and her first Paralympics in London 2012, which Collis calls her most memorable moment.

"We get so much support during the Games and in the lead-up to the Games now," Collis added.

"And it would be great if we could kind of widen that out to the years in between because Parasport is incredible, the things that people are achieving and the things that people are doing.

"The levels they're performing at is incredible, and hopefully it's really exciting for spectators to watch."

"I think my one piece of advice would be to to try as many things as you can and work out what what you love," Collis said.

Collis highlights the lack of access to Para-sport in schools but encourages the next generation not to let that setback hold them back.

"I think my one piece of advice would be to to try as many things as you can and work out what you love," Collis said.

"You'll never know unless you actually say yes."