Shrewsbury Athletic Club's Andy Lewis has continued his success in both the recent British Transplant Games at Newport, Gwent and the World Transplant Games at NewcastleGateshead. The Shrewsbury athlete, who underwent a bone marrow transplant 9 years ago, returned from the British Games with two gold medals and from the World Transplant Games with three gold medals, one silver medal and an age group world record in the 1500m.
At the British Games, he won gold medals in the 800m in a time of 2/54.21 and the 1500m in a time of 5/42.36, while at the World Games, competing as part of a 310 strong Great Britain and Northern Ireland team, he won gold medals in the Road Race in a time of 22/31, the 400m in a time of 1/15.82 and the 1500m in a time of 5/34.59 taking almost 10 seconds off his previous Games Age Group record. There was also a silver medal in the 800m in a time of 2/45.4, a three second post transplant personal best and 6th place in the 200m in 36.3. Finally, he was a last minute replacement in the 4 x 400mB race just 15 minutes after his 200m race, helping the team to 6th place in 4/18.5.
The aim of these Games and other Transplant Games worldwide is to raise awareness of the need for stem cell and organ donors, to provide competition for people who have faced debilitating illness but who are now fit and well as the result of successful transplants and for transplant recipients to celebrate the Gift of Life.
Pic. Andy Lewis on the 1500m podium
Report compiled by Tony Scales
