RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Ellie Bowen was just 13 months old when her life changed for ever.
She was diagnosed with necrotising fasciitis, a rare but severe bacterial infection that destroys tissue beneath the skin.
Her parents feared the worst, that they may even lose their baby girl, and while she survived, her right leg was amputated.
Now 17, Bowen is the youngest member of the Welsh athletics squad, is set to make her Commonwealth Games debut.
"Because I had my leg amputated at such a young age, it was just normal to me," she said.
"As I grew older, I think I did see myself as different but then sports made me see further and showed me I can do sport just like anyone else.
"It may look different but the feeling is the same."
Born in Caerphilly, Bowen will realise a childhood dream by representing her country at the Commonwealth Games in the seated shot put.
"I'm really proud of myself. It's been my dream since I was four or five. I said I want to do sports and represent Wales and that's what I'm doing," she said.
It was Anthony Hughes, the driving force behind so many of Wales' most successful Para-athletes as performance director at Disability Sport Wales, who first spotted her potential.
He introduced Bowen to wheelchair racing, in which she immediately won medals, before she found a passion for throwing.
"I had just started shot put, discus and javelin when Covid happened. I went back after and was thrown into a competition and I won best performer," she said.
"So I was like, 'oh, I'm OK at it' and then I just kept going and fell in love with it."
It is hard to imagine there will be many spectators at Glasgow's Scotstoun Stadium more proud than Bowen's parents who still regard themselves "lucky" to have her.
"We nearly lost her at 13 months old, but she's here and doing amazing," said her mother Anne.
"Growing up, she wanted to be like her siblings and would say, 'they can ride a bike, why can't I ride a bike?' So she did."
Bowen's determination is only matched by the efforts of her parents to make sure their daughter can achieve her potential in the sport.
Her father Martin built a specially adapted bicycle so she could ride with her family, then moved onto bigger things when he built a campervan to ensure his daughter could to travel to athletics competitions.
"She has just come on so well. Nothing has ever been an obstacle for her," said Martin.
"Whatever you put ahead of her, she'll try and do it and if she can't do it, she'll get around it."
Now Bowen hopes she can make her parents proud when they cheer her on in Glasgow.
"It's the biggest competition I've ever done and I'm just happy to be there," she said.
"It would mean the world to me to win a medal but just being there, I'm so thankful."
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