Rio Boothe

Rio is a second-year sport business student at LJMU, and his passion for sport extends beyond his studies as he also competes regionally in para-athletics with the Manchester Harriers and for Team LJMU. He has Cerebral Palsy Right-Sided Hemiplegia, causing paralysis on one side of his body, and takes part in the T37 classification 100m and 200m sprints and the long jump.

But Rio’s sporting success hasn’t come without its obstacles. During high school he endured bullying, and this caused him to shy away from sports.

“I actively avoided sports during high school and was bullied because of my Cerebral Palsy Right-Sided Hemiplegia. I was always picked last and was heavily taunted because of the splint on my right leg. It wasn’t until college that I fully started embracing my disability and started my sports journey.”

Having got more involved at sport during college, but ruling out longer distances like the 5K, it was during Covid-19 lockdown that Rio began training in the 100m which ignited his dream of becoming a para-athlete.

Cerebral Palsy affects approximately 160,000 people in the UK, impacting their motor functions, balance, and posture, making it the most common motor disability in childhood. For Rio he was determined to raise the profile of those with Cerebral Palsy and to use the power of social media to break down barriers and remove stigma around the disability and taking part in sport.

Through TikTok videos, Rio caught the attention of various charities, including Cerebral Palsy Sport and UP The Cerebral Palsy Movement, who recognised his potential as an ambassador, spokesperson, and role model for young children with Cerebral Palsy.

Now, Rio is working closely with Cerebral Palsy Sport to establish a hub in Liverpool to actively engage more people with Cerebral Palsy in sports.

“This year I officially joined the Cerebral Palsy Sport Team. Currently at CP Sport I am working on the Regional Hubs Project, I am the ambassador and representative for the Northwest. I also attend events and assist with the social media management and content creation.”

Rio wants to continue to challenge the stigma of not being "disabled enough” and to highlight the role that sport has played in helping him to embrace his own Cerebral Palsy and how it has empowered him to discuss his experiences openly.

Rio is also working closely with Nicola Robinson, Programme Leader for the Sport Coaching course at LJMU, and Pentathlon GB on a new research project surrounding the sport Para Laser Run. The project aims to collate insights and share them back to the governing body to help influence national policy that surrounds para-sport.

“The project has already helped more than 100 people with a physical or mental impairment to get involved with this new sport, myself being one of them. This project will culminate in an international competition bringing together both the inclusive Para Laser Sport competition and the World Para Laser Run Championships in Bath.”

Rio has one more year left of his undergraduate studies and is considering a master’s degree but is determined to continue his awareness raising by visiting schools across the UK, spreading the word, and sharing his personal story to inspire others with disabilities like his.

Rio’s big dream is to make it to the Paralympics and to aim for a gold medal, but what drives him is wanting to be an inspiration for others with disabilities, whether it’s Cerebral Palsy or other kinds of hidden challenges.