A mother-of-two left paralysed from the waist down in a freak diving accident has overcome her injuries to become a gold medal winning para-triathlete.
Liz McTernan, 52, from Lincolnshire, suffered multiple injuries after a very severe case of ‘the bends’ and has been wheelchair-bound ever since.
The former teacher was on a scuba diving trip in Falmouth, UK when her buoyancy device failed, letting in high pressure air.
Liz, who was exploring a shipwreck at 66m, was forced into a rapid ascent to the surface in less than a minute, missing an hour’s worth of decompression stops and resulting in a very severe case of ‘the bends’ (decompression illness).
Transformation: Liz, who was left paralysed from the waist down in a freak diving accident, has overcome her injuries to become a gold medal winning para-athlete
Liz was subsequently picked up off the dive boat by an RAF Helicopter and flown to a Recompression Chamber in Plymouth.
Her injuries were severe and included damaged lungs and decompression illness in her spinal cord, rendering her paralysed from the waist down – with medics later saying she was ‘lucky to be alive’.
The horrific accident in June 2005 left Liz – mother to George, 23, and Rebecca, 22 – suffering from severe pain, depression and reliant on a long list of prescription drugs.
For years, she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and could recall every precise moment of her accident – including every painful sensation.
However, 12 years on the brave mother has quit her job as a teacher and competed internationally in a host of Para-Triathlon events, scooping medals at both world and European level.
Liz is pictured bodyboarding in Hawaii before her accident. Her injuries were severe and included damaged lungs, and decompression illness in her spinal cord
Liz with George and Rebecca before her accident. For years afterwards, she suffered from PTSD and could recall every moment of her accident – including every painful sensation
Liz on a diving trip. In 2005 the former teacher was on a scuba diving trip in Falmouth, UK when her buoyancy device failed, letting in high pressure air
The mother-of-two during her recovery. Through hard work and determination, Liz she risen up through the Iron Man world rankings and is ranked 23rd in the world and 2nd in the UK
Liz told MailOnline: ‘I had no idea that I could compete in disability sport until seven years ago when a lifeguard suggested I should look into Para-Triathlons as my swimming was good.’
She is currently training to compete in the 2017 Iron Man World Championships in Kona, Hawaii in October.
Liz has entered the Handcycle division; open to athletes who are paraplegic, quadriplegic or double above-the-knee amputees.
She said: ‘I’ll be only the second ever female hand cyclist to complete the race and I’m working hard on being in the best shape as possible come October!’
Liz pictured with her children before the life-changing accident in 2006. She is currently training to compete in the 2017 Iron Man World Championships in Kona, Hawaii in October
Liz, pictured with her family, told MailOnline: ‘I had no idea that I could compete in disability sport until seven years ago when a lifeguard suggested I should look into Para-Triathlons’
Liz, pictured here at an event in Madrid, has risen up through the Iron Man world rankings and is currently ranked 23rd in the world and 2nd in the UK
Her gruelling training regime in the run-up to the event includes long sessions on the hand cycle, anything between for up to four-and-a-half hours, followed by a run.
She also has regular swim sessions and ‘rehab’ exercises to help stabilise her shoulders.
Liz has been using plant-based health products from Vivo Life to help supplement her diet and aid recovery from multiple workouts.
Through hard work and determination, Liz has risen up through the Iron Man world rankings and is ranked 23rd in the world and 2nd in the UK.
After that, she has her sights firmly set on qualifying for the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2020 – by which point she will be aged 55.
Liz currently holds a Guinness World Record for Fastest 200m arms-only on a Handcycle, set at the World Land Speed Championships at Battle Mountain, Nevada in 2015.