Pittwater Life August 2023 Issue

new Invictus vision
GAMES FOCUS: Taryn with “constant
companion” Gigi; preparing
for September’s Invictus Games.
golia, came home to Australia
as a bicycle technician, before
spending 10 years as a Virgin
Australia flight dispatcher.
In 2017 Taryn joined the
Royal Australian Navy as a
Weapons Rate Electronics
Technician. The choice of service
was ad hoc, she admits.
“The Navy was the first to
accept me.”
Two years later she began to
suffer a long-term headache:
“At first I thought it was just a
migraine. I’d had them before.
But then I realised it was affecting
my sight.
“My peripheral vision was
disappearing.”
She went to the Save Sight
Institute. “They were brilliant,”
she says. “But the diagnosis
was awful. I was told I had
between five and 20 years left
of sight.”
As she speaks, Gigi is
beneath her desk in Canberra.
“She’s not a guide dog or a
guard dog, she’s just a constant
companion.”
Taryn’s strong enough to acknowledge
the “mental health
problems” she suffered.
On the other hand, thanks
to Gigi and her supportive colleagues
in the RAN, she’s now
looking on the bright side.
“The good news is that my
eyesight is bad enough to
qualify for the Paralympics,”
she says with a laugh. There
she will compete in the Biathlon
and cross country skiing.
The Invictus Games criteria
are less severe, but only 500
competitors are invited. Taryn
and Nathan will lead an Australian
team of 31.
“I’ve been a cyclist now for
20 years and can still cycle
on the road with the Australian
Defence Forces club and
the Canberra Vikings (cycling
club),” she says.
She doesn’t have to ride
tandem yet, just stay in close
contact with the visually nonimpaired
cyclist partner in
front of her.
I note her chosen disciplines
in the Invictus Games – apart
from cycling – are rowing and
power lifting.
“Power lifting?” she interrupts.
“It’s para power lifting!
It’s much more difficult. You
can’t raise your legs from the
bench because paralympians
can’t.”
Taryn is determined to take
part in the 2026 Winter Paralympics
in Italy.
“The Invictus Games saved
my life,” she admits. “There is
no rehabilitation available for
my vision loss.
“But sport has given me
routine, consistency and a
direction to focus on, keeping
my mind in check.
“Having goals has meant I
can push myself, which I find
very rewarding.
“Turning my vision loss into
another experience to learn
from and finding the courage
to be open and honest about
my experiences with mental
health.
“This has given others the
strength, courage and permission
to talk about their experiences.
Courage is contagious.”
As for Gigi? She’ll enjoy the
rest. – Steve Meacham
*Invictus Games 2023 – more
info invictusgamesfoundation.org;
to donate go to asf.
org.au and search ‘Donate’.
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The Local Voice Since 1991
AUGUST 2023 23