Zara Jurenko

Athlete: Zara Jurenko

 

Location: City of Leicester

 

Sport: Tennis

 

 

I am 21 years old and live with my parents and younger twin sisters in Kirby Muxloe. I went to a Special School when I was 12 and from being a small fish struggling in a big pond in mainstream school, I became a big fish in a small pond and I began to grow in confidence because I started to achieve things. I now work full time for the LivingWell Health Club at the Hilton Hotel, as a Fitness Instructor and Swimming Pool Lifeguard.

 

 

I started to play tennis when I went to Maplewell Hall Special School in 1999. The following year our sports teacher Judith Oakley started a tennis club called Charnwood-Burleigh-Maplewell (CBM) Tennis Club where we had coaching, from a professional coach. My family and I play tennis at Leicestershire Lawn Tennis Club. This year I have helped my coach Tony Blackburn at Sport in Desford with junior tennis coaching.

 

 

Tennis gold medalist in Special Olympics World Games for Great Britain in China in 2007 in singles and silver medalist in doubles; gold medalists in singles and mixed doubles for East Midlands at Special Olympics National Games in Glasgow July 2005; National Special Olympics Girls' singles, doubles and mixed doubles tennis champion, Nottingham 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007; Tennis gold medallist for Great Britain in the Special Olympics in Dublin 2002, pre-world games & 2003 World games, Tennis gold medallist in mixed doubles and silver medal in singles for East Midlands at Special Olympics National Games in Cardiff, 2001.

 

 

Stafford Leys Primary School Netball team. Sportsability Festival Burleigh College May 2001; Sportsability Festival Beaumont Leys February 2002; Sportsability Festival Burleigh College June 2003.

 

Millennium Volunteer Gold award through Top Link 2002 to 2005

 

British Tennis Federation assistant at Disabled Awareness Course 2003 to help coaches better understand learning disability tennis.

 

At Maplewell Hall I achieved a GCSE in PE and a Junior Sports Leaders Award.

 

I was a Mentee tennis coach, with my coach, Tony Blackburn, at Westfields Tennis Club, Western Park

April to June 2004 for my Level 2 Award in Coaching Studies, through Loughborough College. This was sponsored by Leicestershire County Council so that disabled athletes like me, could become coaches to other disabled athletes.

 

At Leicester College I achieved an NVQ Level 2 in Activity Leadership, a Sports Leaders Awards, First Aid and a Swimming Pool Life Guard Certificate in 2005.

 

At work, I have passed a Level 2 Award as a Gym Instructor, First Aid at Work. I passed my driving test in 2006.

 

Runner up Leicester Mercury Sports Woman of the Year 2007

 

Leicester Mercury Young Sportswoman of the year 2003

 

BBC East Midlands Disabled Sportswoman of the year 2003

 

Runner up Leicester Mercury Young Disabled Sportswoman of the year 2002

 

Leicester Mercury Young Disabled Sportswoman of the year 2001

 

Represented Leicestershire at girls' cricket at under 15 and under 13 level in 2001 & 2002

 

Area Youth Games, Loughborough University, swimming for Charnwood Borough Council, 2000 & 2001

 

Millennium Youth Games, Southampton, swimming for Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland, 2000 ;

 

Represented Maplewell Hall School at football, basketball, boccia, athletics and cross country

 

I represented Great Britain at the World Tennis Championships in Poland in July 2008. This was run by the International Federation for Disabled Sport for elite learning disability athletes.

 

29 October 2007 Tea with the Lord Mayor of Leicester Cllr Gary Hunt to celebrate the achievements of local athletes at the Special Olympic Games in China, at Leicester Town Hall.

 

5 November 2007 The launch of "The Tennis Foundation" an amalgamation of "The British Tennis Foundation", which supports me, and "The Cliff Richard Foundation" at the National Tennis Centre Roehampton. The Special Olympic Tennis Team were guests of honour and I gave a talk to the audience which included the Duchess of Gloucester, Greg Rusedski, Andrew Castle, former Davis Cup player and now GMTV presenter, Mike Reid, Radio DJ and Cliff Richard's representative, and Peter Fleming, John McEnroe's doubles partner and Wimbledon Champion. We also met Jamie Murray, Andy Murray's older brother, and a Wimbledon Mixed Doubles Champion.

 

26 November 2007 BBC East Midlands Sports Awards at the Assembly Rooms Derby. I was a finalist in the Disability Awards category. I met Martin Corry of Leicester Tigers and Mark Selby, Leicester's top snooker player.

 

7 December 2007 Fund raising event for the Tennis Foundation at Hampton Court hosted by Cliff Richard. £94,000 was raised from an auction in less than 45 mins. I went on the stage and spoke to Annabel Croft about my tennis achievements. The audience included Petula Clark, Gloria Hunniford, Greg Rusedski, Alan Titchmarch, Clare Sweeney, Ainsley Harriot, Mike Reid, Sir Clive Woodward, Jasper Carrot. Cliff sang live accompanied by only a piano, he was magnificent. He sang a duet with Petula. "Teatro" sang 3 songs from their new CD.

 

17 January 2008 Leicester Mercury Sports Awards at the De Montfort Hall. Zara was a finalist in the Sportswoman of the Year Category. Milan Manderic the owner of Leicester City said I must be very dedicated to have achieved so much.

 

Previous special Olympics

 

In 2001, all 12 members of our school tennis club were selected to represent East Midlands at the national Special Olympic Games in Cardiff. We had a great time. In 2002, four of our team went to Dublin. In 2003 I was the one of two of the original 12 to go to Dublin. Dublin was lovely. Every shop I went in I got a free gift! In 2007 in Shanghai, I lost a stone in weight because of the heat and conditions. I met lots of people and made new friends.

 

My aim is to be a Personal Fitness Instructor. I have learned that if you try hard enough, you can achieve your goals; it just takes me longer than others. I am enjoying being an Ambassador for the 2009 Special Olympics and taking part in the events and proudly wear my badge. I am looking forward to the Special Olympic Games to be held in Leicester in July 2009 and playing in front of my home crowd. The tennis will be held at the new indoor tennis courts at Knighton School.