Paula Henderson

Read on to find out more on Paula and her Canoeing career.

Q How did you first become involved in your sport? I first tried canoeing in the Summer of 2004.My mum’s friend had suggested I might like it as I have always enjoyed outdoor and water sports. We went along to Kirkcaldy Canoe Club at Kinghorn Loch on a Tuesday night but it was too busy so I had to go back on the Thursday. From that first night I took to it like a duck to water.

Q When did you first realize you had the potential to make it as an athlete? It didn’t seem long before I was competing in local regattas. In my last year in lightning’s I went to a National regatta at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham, where I was first girl in 500m and 1000m and 1st in K2 at 500m with Kara Bradbeer. A few months later I went to the Hasler Finals in Bedford, which is a club marathon trophy, and I took 1st place for under 12 Girls.

Q What are your best results so far (please list any records held). At the National Age Group Championships in July I was delighted to win three under 14 medals, gold silver and bronze, with Rhonwen Smith in a K2 and Isobel and Naomi from Basingstoke in a K4.

Q What has been the highlight of your career? Being nominated to the Scottish Performance Squad, and becoming a TFIS (Tayside and Fife Institute of Sport) athlete was a great achivement. All the hard work paid off when in July 2009 I was promoted to Girls B at Nottingham.

Q What is a typical training regime for a ‘normal’ week? Winter training consists of lots of gym work, running and swimming, and often culminating at a winter training camp.

Q Any sporting experiences you would rather forget? I can remember capsizing on the canal at Linlithgow in November and having to walk back to the Lowport Centre to get changed.

Q Have you had to overcome any major challenges (injury, illness or other) to reach your level in sport? In August last year I began to feel vaguely unwell, and by December I knew there was really something wrong with me. I saw Dr Elliott from TFIS and I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease in January of this year. Although my illness badly affected my Winter training I still managed to go back to Slovakia for Winter training in February, and am now hopefully on the road to recovery.

Q What do you see as the key area to concentrate on for you to improving as an
athlete?  In April 2007 thanks to more funding from the SCA I began going down to the Sprint Regattas at Nottingham on a more regular basis and I soon realised that I would have to up my game as there is so much more competition down south. Over the Summer I consolidated my position in Girls D. Kristina’s arrival in Scotland had also meant that training had stepped up a gear. I had to decide that canoeing was my number 1 sport.

Q What support do you get in training (national governing body programme, family, coach, sponsorship etc). Last year I was lucky enough to receive Awards from Asda , The Moffat Trust, Fields in Trust and Fife Council, all of which helps to pay for new equipment and training/travelling costs.

Q Who has/have had the biggest influence on you as an athlete? And why?
I have been so lucky to have the support of my family and friends, my club and SCA coaches, and everyone at TFIS. Now I’m looking forward to another successful season and hope there are many more medals to come.