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Biography
Impairment information
Type of Impairment
Cerebral Palsy
Origin of Impairment
Congenital
Classification
T34
Further personal information
Family
Partner Alice
Residence
Bo'ness, SCO
Occupation
Athlete
Languages
English
Higher education
Teaching - University of Stirling: Scotland
Sport specific information
When and where did you begin this sport?
He took up Para athletics in 2010.
Why this sport?
He switched from Para swimming to Para athletics at age 15. "I found out I was allergic to chlorine, so swimming was obviously not the best sport for me! I used to come out of the pool sneezing, with bloodshot eyes. So I left swimming aged 15, then athletics coach Job King took me to an athletics talent identification day, and since then I've just got better and better."
Club / Team
Coventry Godiva Harriers: Great Britain
Name of coach
Ian Mirfin [personal], from 2017
General interest
Nicknames
Big Ben (benrowlings.com, 10 Oct 2014)
Most influential person in career
His family. (benrowlings.com, 10 Oct 2014)
Hero / Idol
US boxer Muhammad Ali. (benrowlings.com, 10 Oct 2014)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"Fail to prepare, prepare to fail." (cpteensuk.org, 09 Jul 2014)
Other sports
He competed in Para swimming at junior national level from age 11 to 15. (Facebook page, 09 May 2017)
Ambitions
To compete at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (linlithgowgazette.co.uk, 11 Oct 2019)
Impairment
He was born with cerebral palsy as his umbilical cord was wrapped twice around his neck, constricting blood flow to the brain. "It affects all four of my limbs, my legs mainly. The messages from my brain do not reach my arms and legs properly, which causes problems with things like spatial awareness. My legs are in constant cramp due to my muscles always being tight. This makes walking around difficult so I use a wheelchair to get about." (benrowlings.com, 10 Oct 2014; cpteensuk.org, 09 Jul 2014)
Results
| Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's 400 m T34 | Heat 2 | 2015-10-23 | 5 | |
| Men's 400 m T34 | Final 1 | 2015-10-24 | 4 | |
| Men's 800 m T34 | Heat 2 | 2015-10-25 | 2 | |
| Men's 800 m T34 | Final 1 | 2015-10-26 | 4 | |
| Men's 100 m T34 | Heat 1 | 2015-10-27 | 10 | |
| Men's 200 m T34 | Heat 1 | 2015-10-30 | 6 | |
| Men's 200 m T34 | Final 1 | 2015-10-31 | 7 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's 100 m T34 | Heat 2 | 2016-09-11 | 5 | |
| Men's 800 m T34 | Heat 2 | 2016-09-13 | 5 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's 400 m T34 | Final 1 | 2017-07-17 | 5 | |
| Men's 800 m T34 | Final 1 | 2017-07-20 | 6 |