2022 Commonwealth Games: Devoted dad inspiring Amy Conroy to 3x3 wheelchair basketball glory 

Amy Conroy’s dad has always been there for her.

The 29-year-old is currently competing for Team England in the inaugural 3x3 wheelchair basketball competition at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and her father, Chris Conroy, is doing what it takes to make sure he sees his daughter make history:

“Poor guy, he’s staying in a youth hostel down the road in a three-tier bunk bed in a 15-bed dorm,” Conroy tells Olympics.com with a smile detailing the lengths he is currently going to.

For her opening match at the Smithfield site, he sat with his flag in the ‘cheap seats’ right at the back of the towering stands.

Talking about his dedication Conroy couldn't help swelling up with joy:

“I’m just proud; he’s done so much for me. We’ve had some sticky times growing up and he’s just an absolute beautiful human.”

The “sticky” times the three-time Paralympian for Team GB alludes to pivots around her early years.

At seven years old Conroy lost her mother to cancer leaving her father to raise her and her sister on his own.

Just five years later the same disease, which had also claimed her uncle and grandparents, altered the course of her life when she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma – a type of bone cancer - aged 12.

During her year-long stint in hospital, Conroy was given a 50 percent chance of surviving. She later had her leg amputated to try and abate the spread of the spread of the cancer.

Once she was out and fully recovered her father pushed her to try wheelchair basketball. And she's been in love with it ever since.

Now at Birmingham 2022 and competing for the first time in the 3x3 wheelchair basketball competition, the Team England star is committed to delivering a medal to make her family proud:

“In front of a home crowd, with my family here, it would be incredible,” Conroy says describing what it would mean to get on the podium. “It would be up there.”

Thriving off the high-octane energy of the discipline, and the excitement rippling through the Games, the next task for the hungry baller is winning the semi-final taking place tomorrow (Monday 1 August) at 4pm.

It will be a formidable challenge. Having posted a lost today (31 July) to Canada, England will have to play the winners of Group B which Conroy anticipates will mean a match-up with Australia.

But with the current chemistry uniting her and her teammates: Joy Hazeliden, Charlie Moore and Jade Atkin, she is already relishing the challenge:

“Everyone’s really empowering each other to come together to step up and play with a lot of confidence so I could not be prouder of these girls. We’ve got to have a quick turnaround and reset from our loss.

“[Australia] are always feisty but I enjoy a good game. I’m looking forward to it.”