Manjimup inspiration Michelle Aiken beaming after winning big in swimming and horse riding at Special Olympics

Manjimup sports star Michelle Aiken scored big at the Special Olympics Australia National Games in Launceston last month. Her impressive efforts representing WA in the pool ended with several podium finishes, winning silver in the 50m freestyle and backstroke, bronze in the 4x50m relay and fourth in the 50m breaststroke. She also made an impression in the equestrian ring, coming second in the English Equitation and Dressage Test 1 and fourth place in the Dressage Test 2 at the Horse-riding Invitationals for the Special Olympics. Aiken said the horseriding events were fulfilling because horseriding was not only enjoyable for her, but therapy for her disability. “I particularly enjoy horseriding because it’s my thing and I don’t go out there for the sake of it, I go out there because I enjoy it,” she said. “It’s my therapy because with my disability, I can’t have medication and I can’t have surgery because it’s in the brain, so horseriding is my therapy and it keeps me working.” Aiken’s journey to the National Games was supported by fundraising by the Manjimup community. She said she was thankful for the community’s help in reaching her goal to attend the National Games and has had people ask her about her time in Tasmania. “I’d like to say a big thanks to the community because without their support, I wouldn’t be able to get to where I was going,” Ms Aiken said. “Most of them come through my check-out asking, ‘how did you go?’” “And I’d say, ‘it went really well,’ and show them my medals.” As for the future, Ms Aiken said she hoped to become a horseriding coach to help other people embrace the sport. “I travel to Bunbury every Tuesday in the school term and help people learn to ride,” she said. “I’m starting to be a Level 1 coach, so I help people learn to ride at Riding for the Disabled in Bunbury, so it helps people that want to learn how to ride so that they can.”