South Coast athlete Nikki Ayers has always dreamed of representing Australia on the world sporting stage.
Five years ago, that sport was rugby union, but a knee injury left her with permanent damage to her peroneal nerve and popliteal artery causing her to develop foot drop.
She also developed compartment syndrome from a lack of blood supply to the lower part of her right leg, which led to a series of surgeries to remove dead muscle tissue.
She discovered rowing during her recovery, and the now 30-year-old is preparing to compete in the Tokyo Paralympics.
"To think, five years ago when I was playing rugby, aspiring to play for the Australian women's Wallaroos, this was not on the radar at all," she said.
Ms Ayers grew up in Dalmeny and went to school in Narooma, before moving to Canberra to become a nurse.
In 2016, the 25-year-old suffered a severe knee injury during a pre-season match of rugby union.
Nine months and 16 surgeries later, she attended an information session at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, which encouraged her to take up training in rowing for the Tokyo Olympics.
"I did a bit of surfboat rowing while I was playing rugby … I figured it couldn't be much different to surfboats. That's how I got into rowing."
'A wake-up call'
Ms Ayers subsequently began training for the Paralympics in the PR3 mixed coxed four event, which is a two-kilometre rowing race.
She was inspired by her new goal and supported by her family, but found it tough taking up an advanced training regimen while juggling her workload as a nurse.
"I lived, breathed and slept rugby. It was my life," she said.
Mr Ayers has more recently reduced her workload as a nurse at Canberra Hospital in order to make more time to train for the Paralympics in one month's time.
She wakes at 4:30am to row and completes two gym sessions during the day, which she does up to six days a week.
She's also undergoing 'heat acclimation' training in preparation for hot and humid conditions in Tokyo.
"We're rowing in 35 degrees and 80 per cent humidity for an hour or so as well to get our bodies ready," she said.
"It's so we don't overheat or get heat exhaustion. It's a lot going on."
Tokyo, here we come
Ms Ayers has been training solo in Canberra because COVID-19 restrictions have prevented her teammates and coach based in Sydney and Melbourne from coming together.
She will be flying to Tokyo on August 20, with her races scheduled to take place from August 27–29.
It will be a dream come true for the 30-year-old, who will finally be able to represent her country and her family in a sport she loves.
"I always wanted to represent Australia, but I thought that would be playing rugby union," she said.
