Grace Lee, Brydi at OzDay10k Wheelchair Race (PEOPLE 2021)

The annual Oz Day 10K race is one of the greatest wheelchair road races on Earth. Since 1961, the organisation has made sport available to those in the community affected by spinal injury, spina bifida and similar disabilities. The race features superstar athletes, some incredible untold stories and Paralympians of the future. On 26th January 2020, one of the great stories was 9yo Brydi Saul from QLD finishing her first 10K Wheelchair Race. Brydi Saul was the youngest person to finish one of the world-renowned wheelchair road races, the toughest the Oz Day 10km race, held annually at The Rocks in Sydney. Brydi was being bullied at school for being in a wheelchair, Rewind to 2017 and Brydi was a "completely different girl," according to her mother, Toni Saul. "She was suffering because of severe bullying and having a bad time emotionally, she was severely depressed, to the point where she became suicidal." she said. Brydi was having constant meltdowns and wouldn't talk to people in public. Brydi's upbeat tone turns sombre when she talks about the relentless bullying she endured. "I was getting bullied a lot at school for being in a wheelchair and wearing pull-ups. "I was also teased because I'm really small." Brydi is also Indigenous. Her mother is a Yorta-Yorta woman and her father is a Djangadi man. Sport has played a big part in boosting Brydi's confidence and mental health. Now nothing can stop Brydi’s plan. Brydi hopes to one day represent Australia at the Paralympics like her sporting hero Kurt Fearnley. She now has her eyes set at competing at the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.

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