things go wrong
However, Funmi had a condition called Knock Knee, which he needed to cure in order to progress.
Therefore, six months after starring in Moldova, she had to undergo a routine operation to straighten her legs. However, her artery was damaged during the surgery, and what was supposed to be her longest stay in the hospital for one night turned into a month-long ordeal.
“It was the worst period of my life. I was here hoping to get my leg fixed and get back on the court as soon as possible. But I am now admitted to the adult ward, in severe pain and… , a child on top-of-the-line medication. He couldn't even speak. He underwent five surgeries within the next two weeks to repair the damage.”
Fanmi underwent three more surgeries over the next few years and was in and out of the hospital almost daily for various appointments.
“I couldn't feel or move my legs. But I still wanted to get back to basketball. That year I tried to complete my A-levels, but they were too difficult. Like taking medication. There was an alarm reminding me and a machine that drained fluid from my leg, and it was constantly beeping. So I decided to drop out and started again the following September.”
find a way forward
Feeling lost and alone, Hwang-mi says she owes almost everything to one man. Anthony Hughes (MBE, Performance Manager, Disability Sport Wales).
Anthony, who sadly passed away in 2022, left behind a unique legacy. Most of Wales' Paris Paralympic hopefuls have their own stories of how Anthony changed their lives. To Fanmi, he instructed:
“I was always really lucky that I knew what I wanted to do. And suddenly that future completely collapsed around me. I fell apart and I didn't know how to move on. But Anthony gave me a chance to find myself again.
“There are no words that can do him justice. Without him, there is no way I would be here, wanting to go to Paris, just a few years after starting this sport. I owe it to people.”
In fact, it was Anthony who bought Funmi her first throwing shoes and introduced her to her coach, Josh Clark.
Fanmi is also a devout Christian, and her faith keeps her from feeling bitter or resentful.
“I've always tried to forgive and move forward. And I'm so lucky that while one door closed, an even bigger one opened.”
And so it happened. At the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in Paris, she placed 4th in the F44 shot put and 6th in the F44 discus, opening the Paris Paralympic Games.
