YOUR CHANCE TO STRIKE GOLD

This is about a very special young lady - Sue Hales. As a young mum, Sue found herself suffering from kidney failure and for three years she was on dialysis; this ended in March 1997 when she had a kidney transplant. Two years later, she became a mum again for the third time when her youngest son Rhys was born. She is married to well known pigeon fancier David Hales, winner of 1st Open National Flying Club and four times an Open winner of the BICC, to mention just a few of his top south road positions. When flying north road David won the Essex Combine and Essex Central Federation many times.

Sue Hales, centre, winning Gold at the Thailand World Transplant Games.

David does not sell his pigeons, so you will need to get in quick to grab a bargain, The round of youngsters that Dave has bred are predominantly Jim Biss with some Alan Parker and Bruggmean Brothers bloodlines, which helped him achieve 1st & 6th Open BICC Perpignan and 2nd Open BICC Marseille, both over 600 miles. The youngsters will be half brothers and sisters to or grandchildren of the BICC prizewinners.

Why is he selling these birds? To help his wife. Sue has always swum but never competitively until she first competed in the British Transplant Games, which are held every year and open to anyone who has had an organ transplant. The purpose of the Transplant Games is to bring awareness of organ donation to the public and to see how well someone can be after a transplant of any kind, be it heart, kidney, lung. These were held in Norwich in 2004. She was shocked to have won 2 x bronze medals at her first games, for the 50m Breaststroke and the 50m Front Crawl.  After those games that was it, she had the bug and had to try to beat those two swimmers that got the silver and the gold. In 2005, the Games were in Loughborough & Leicester, where she won 2 x silver, again for the Breaststroke and the 50m Front Crawl. 2006 was in Bath where she won her first gold in the 50m Breaststroke (she timed in at 00.50.43) and silver in the Front Crawl.00.40.04

It was on these times that she was selected to represent Great Britain in the World Transplant Games held in Bangkok Thailand. These Games are by selection only. Therefore, in August 2007 she flew to Thailand with the rest of the selected British Transplant Team, over 100 in all taking part in all athletic events.

The British Team bought back 100 Gold, 75 Silver, 52 Bronze, whilst Australia who came 2nd won 30 Gold, 30 Silver and 27 Bronze, and 49 Countries took part. So we slaughtered the world.  Sue won 3 x Gold medal for 50m breaststoke (00.48.38), 100m breaststroke (1.49.35), the medley relay in which Great Britain broke the world record in 02.43.03, (previous record 02.43.13) and 2 x Bronze for the 50m front crawl 00.39.36 (an improvement on previous year) and 50m backstroke 51.87.

Also that year the British Games were held in Edinburgh. She entered 3 races - Breaststroke 50m and 100m plus 50m F/C won 3 x Silver. Next came 2008 were she won 3 x Gold for 50m Breast, 100m Breast and 50m Backstroke. In 2008 Sue entered the 50m Breast stroke, 50m F/C, and 50m Back stroke, and won gold in all three races………and finally Sue beat those other two swimmers.

Sue also won the “Vetrex Vetorium” cup, which is awarded to the best overall swimmer that year. She was also nominated by her daughter Hannah, and won Sports Personality of the Year, which was run by Rochford District Council. There was a huge presentation evening held at the Freight House and she has an engraved shield and a commemorative glass plaque. Sue gave a live interview on BBC Essex about the award and the Transplant Games. Sue has been selected again to swim for Great Britain August 22nd - 30th this year, on the Gold Coast of Australia, and as all athletes are self-funding she has been applying for sponsorship. Her husband has agreed to sponsor her by breeding a round of youngsters to sell, which will be ready by 1st June.

These birds, which would not normally be for sale, are to be sold for £60 each, which is silly cheap for the quality of these birds. Of course, if you wish to sponsor Sue she will be happy for any help you can give her. You can email her at halessue@hotmail.com or phone her on 01702 230892.

Pam Gladwin.