I was bullied so badly because of my disability that I had to quit school. Because I found help, I am now a Paralympic medallist

After dropping out of high school because she was so relentlessly bullied for her disability, Dayna Crees is savouring the adulation of claiming a bronze medal on her Paralympic debut.

Crees, was a relative unknown among Australia’s track and field team heading into Sunday’s third-placed finish at Stade de France.

She revealed the secret to smashing her personal best three times throughout the F34 javelin final was simple – a trifecta of Vegemite on toast for breakfast, a bag of lollies and a full bladder secured the Melburnian her first medal.

‘I think that’s my new comp-day breakfast,’ Crees said.

‘I had a pasta salad for lunch and then out at the event I had Allan’s lollies from home which I’ve saved the whole trip just to have at the comp.

‘I think I had that much water that by the end I was like, ‘I really need to pee’ so I just wanted to throw quick so I could go to the toilet.’

Crees, pictured age 12, was bullied so much at school because of her disability she had to quit

Crees was the penultimate athlete to throw and entered into her maiden Paralympic appearance with a personal best of 16.84m.

But the 22-year-old made 17.65m on her first throw and also carded scores of 17.55m and 17.13m.

‘I was like, ‘I think the screen is broken’ … there’s no way (that’s happened),’ she said.

‘To throw over 17.5m on my first throw – I usually start bad and the sixth throw is my best, but I’m not complaining.’

Crees lives with hereditary spastic paraplegia, a condition which causes weakness in the muscles.

The beaming Aussie shared her game-day diet and unconventional methods that led to her success

She said that her podium finish went some way to relieving a childhood where people ‘wouldn’t want to be my friend’ because of her limp.

‘I had a rough time growing up in school, I was bullied a lot,’ Crees said.

‘I struggled a lot with my mental health and I’m such a big advocate for the younger generation dealing with mental health.

‘I was on anti-depressants for three years and had a psychiatrist.

‘Had I not gone and got the help, I might not have been in this position today.

‘I truly believe I needed to leave school to get where I am today, to not see a point in being here.

‘To get this far in a bronze medal at my first Paralympic Games – everything happens for a reason.’

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