We're very excited this week to welcome Commonwealth Games dual gold medalist and Vision Australia ambassador Jess Gallagher to the program.
Jess was the recent winner of two gold medals in the cycling program but she’s also competed in everything from athletics to skiing to rowing, and she catches up with Sam to celebrate following the conclusion of the Games.
Then after Sam chats with Jess, Helen joins the show to catch up with Alexandra from the Vision Store in Bendigo with some Father's Day gift ideas for dads out there who are blind or have low vision.
From Vision Australia. This is talking vision. And now here's your host, Sam Collins.
Hello, everyone. It's great to be here with you. And for the next half hour, we talk matters of blindness and low vision.
The exposure that the Commonwealth Games provides, and that integration really helps educate society and the spectators to realize that Paralympic athletes are athletes first and foremost who just happen to have disability. So for me, I think that's the greatest thing that I've witnessed, having been to two Commonwealth Games now.
Welcome to the program. That voice you just heard there was Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Vision Australia ambassador Jess Gallacher speaking about how it feels to say athletes with disabilities competing on the world stage in an integrated program at the recent Games in Birmingham. Jess was the recent winner of two gold medals in the cycling program, but she's also competed in everything from athletics to skiing to rowing and of course, cycling. And you'll hear more from her very shortly. That interview takes up a large part of the programme this week. Then after I catch up with Jess Helensville, SAS joins the show to catch up with Alexandra from the Bendigo shop. All about the latest gift ideas from the Vision Australia store for Father's Day. I hope you enjoyed this week's episode of Talking Vision. Our next guest has done it all with medals in both the Summer and winter Paralympics and most recently, gold in both the Tandem Bay Sprint and the Tandem Bay one kilometre time trial para cycling events at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. It's my absolute pleasure to welcome Jess Gallagher to Talking Vision. Jess, thank you so much for your time today.
As my pleasure. Always great to chat.
Firstly, Jess, you're just back from Birmingham, as we just mentioned there with not just one but two cycling gold medals under your belt. How does it feel for you? Congratulations. Firstly.
Thank you. It's amazing. I think, you know, as an athlete, you dream about being able to deliver your best performance on the day that it matters. And Caitlin and I certainly did that. We produced some really big personal best times, and so that was incredibly exciting. And for those results to also culminate in two gold medals, you know, you can't really ask for any more. So it was an amazing experience.
Has it sunk in for you? Must be a bit of a surreal experience, even though you have taken home quite a few gold, silver and bronze medals over your time. But does it ever change? Does that ever get easier or more difficult to kind of wrap your head around?
It's always hard winning medals and whatever the sport and whatever the competition, I think this one probably still.
Feels a.
Little surreal and it hasn't quite sunk in yet due to the nature of this sort of all coming together relatively light, given that I'd left the sport due to lack of pilot and then, you know, finding Katie and developing that relationship with her. So it does feel real, but it also, I think, will take a little bit to sink in. And I'm sure like a lot of the things that I've done throughout my career, perhaps once I retire and and look back on that sporting journey, you know, it'll it'll sink in a little bit more. But I think as an athlete, you're pretty good at moving from from goal to goal. And so sometimes you've got to really take that time to sit and reflect and and just enjoy it. You know, I've been involved in elite sport for a long time, and there are world championships or Paralympics or Commonwealth Games, whatever it might be, where I have done my best performance and it hasn't resulted in a gold medal. And so, you know, you're very proud of those and it just makes it extra special that for these games the results did end up in double gold. It's very special.
And with COVID in the mix over the past year or two, and that's probably thrown quite a spanner in the works. But what was it like to be back at a major event, post-COVID?
It was.
Really exciting. You know, the English crowds, the huge sports fans. And so to be in a stadium that was, you know, sold out, full of cheering people who love cycling, who appreciate the excellent performances, I know when a good time has been done. They know when a great race has been raced. And so you know it's they career highs to be able to race in front of crowds like that it makes it that little bit more special when you've got a stadium of 3 to 5000 people roaring behind you and every move, it just really elevates the experience. So it was really special to be able to do that in the London Velodrome.
Just when did you know you had the events won, as you mentioned? Did you get feedback from the crowd or maybe Caitlin had told you, just we've got this or something like that?
Yeah, no, there's not a lot of communication between Katie and I when we're racing, because if she's having to think about telling me things and the moves are lost. Really? Oh, yeah, for sure. Anyway, so in the first race, the ten match sprint, we actually came around and over the top of the Scottish pairing. And so I have low vision, I'm not completely blind, so I do have some peripheral vision. And so because we were very close to each other, you know, it was a really tight tussle for the final lap. And I actually was able to stay out of the corner of my eye that we were passing the other tandem. And so as we crossed that finishing line, I knew that I had the pilot beside me, which meant that because the tandems are quite long based. So I guess since we were definitely in front. So you know, I could really enjoy that celebration because I crossed that line knowing that we'd won that one. And then in the one kilometre time trial, it's a pretty different experience because you're just so physically exhausted. It's a really crucial event and so there's a lot of lactic acid moving through the body. And so when we cross that finishing line, you just really try to breathe and you're trying to sort of process all the pain and the experience. And so it took a lap or so for me to be able to understand, you know, what position we were sitting in. Because for Katie as the pilot, you know, she's just as exhausted. So she was a bit blurry and couldn't read the big screen to know what time we're done. And it's quite. Comic, really. We're both sort of just trying to come back to life after putting ourselves in this big physical hole. And when I heard her gasp after she was able to read the screen, I realized that we'd done a really good time. And then she tried to tell me a couple of times, and with the crowd so noisy, I couldn't really hear. And so I was like, I think we went gold. I'm not really sure. And then I heard the time and I knew because we were the last pairing to go off. So I knew the times of our competitors. And so once I heard that time and realized it was the fastest, I could throw the hand up in the air and and celebrate a little bit.
Oh, wow. Now, incredible moment for so for both Phil and Caitlin. Now, just we've mentioned a couple of things about the logistics of tandem cycling. So listeners might be wondering how tandem cycling works for athletes who are blind or have low vision. So could you tell us a bit more about that perhaps?
Yeah, absolutely. So it's a two person bike and Caitlin is the pilot. She sits on the front of the bike. She's in control of the steering and the direction of where the bike goes. She's also able to put down power. And then we actually have a chain that connects both of our pedals on one of the sides of the bike, and that enables me as the striker. So the athlete with low vision or blindness behind her to feel through the pedals what Caitlin is doing. So how much power she's putting down if she's not putting down as much. And so my role essentially is to be able to feel and that's how I get my communication of where we are within a race is by interpreting the feel through those pedal strokes and then also in the elite side of tandem riding, aerodynamics is incredibly important. So I am quite tall compared to Caitlin, my pilot. I'm 511 and she's a little bit shorter. So for me, you know, I talk in behind her and try and stay as low as possible and put down as much power as possible.
How does that classified people may be familiar with B1, B2, B3 kind of rankings for blindness or low vision? So is that the same with cycling?
It is. So as far as I understand it, the vision impaired and blindness community in elite sport across all the different sports uses the same classification system. So they may have different letters, but in essence the requirements of vision is the same. So I'm a base rate and so I have the most functional vision within the elite sporting lower vision and blindness space, and that falls under the legally blind classification. So if you have less than 10% central vision and I can't quite remember the peripheral component as I have central vision loss, and then for the phase two, it's, it's less than 5%. And for the B1 it is minimal to no vision. So as far as I understand it, it's the same across the different Paralympic sports.
I'll go back to the relationship between you and Caitlin Ward now and the importance of that relationship in tandem events. I'm interested to explore this a bit, so could you tell us a bit more about that relationship that you and Caitlin have both built up between yourselves on the bike?
Yeah, it's a really important relationship. It's, you know, you're so intimately connected when you're on the tandem bike that if you don't have a great relationship with the person you're riding with and you can't trust them, then it makes it really, really difficult. And I suppose for me, as the stokers sitting on the back, the most important skill set to be able to gain with your pilot is to be able to trust them, because at the end of the day, you're hitting incredibly high speeds. And as we're riding around that velodrome, I don't have any control of where the bike goes. So I really need to be able to trust that Caitlin or whoever is piloting me has the skill sets and the confidence and the capability to be able to do what's required. And so at the Commonwealth Games, Caitlin and I did a flying 200 metres sprint in 10.6 seconds, which is a top speed of around 67 and a half kilometers an hour. And so I got to be able to, to trust someone to know that they can handle the bike at those sorts of speeds. And then once we get into the sprint racing, where we first off against the tandem, you know, we get pretty tired, you know, every now and then there might be a real touch or there might be a few elbows bumping. And, you know, that's part of racing. And you've got to be able to trust that that person sitting on the front has the capability to do that. And so off the bike, it's important to be able to to develop a friendship with each other and understand what are the common goals that you might be working towards. Perhaps there are different goals. It's really about developing that friendship first and foremost, and then also that working relationship so that when you both get on the bike together, you're in the same place and you're in the same headspace of, you know, what it is that you want to achieve together because. Is it really is it the same dynamic? And to me, it's incredibly important that the sporting world acknowledges the ten pilots or, you know, whatever the sport may, you know, a ski guide, whatever the support is that they really acknowledge the tandem pilots because, you know, it takes two to tango, so to speak, on that bike. And, you know, I'm not able to produce my performances if it's not for Katie producing hers as well.
Just she may have also seen the discussions around recently. They're moving to join the Olympics with the Paralympics. But what was it like to compete in the same event at the Commonwealth Games in general, having the para games alongside the Commonwealth Games.
For me it's a really special experience as part of the Australian rowing team. I also have that experience because the World Championships are an integrated event, so the Paralympic classes are at the same competition as the able bodied, but it is for some sports a really unique opportunity and experience and for me it's a lot of fun to be a part of that and to be a part of the multi-sport events. But if I think more broadly, I think the greatest benefit that I see more from a societal sense is that it provides a large amount of exposure for Paris sport. And if I think about para cycling as an example in the tandems, a lot of people in society who may not have been exposed to tandem or para cycling before usually don't realise that they hit the same speeds as the able bodied. You know, if Katie and I had a baby in the ranks we would have been the fourth fastest qualifier know that's how fast we go. And so I think the exposure that the Commonwealth Games provides and that integration really helps educate society and the spectators to realise that Paralympic athletes are athletes first and foremost who just happen to have disabilities. So for me I think that's the greatest thing that I've witnessed having been to two Commonwealth Games.
Now you have been involved in everything from long jump to javelin to alpine skiing to cycling, and I'm also led to believe we can throw rowing into the mix there. So what has been the case for you in not only adapting to but also excelling at so many different disciplines over time in the sport?
I think for me, you know, a lot of people don't realise that often my sport changes have come about through forced change or, you know, circumstances outside of my control. And one of those being that, you know, the reason I left cycling and moved to the to learn to row was because they weren't able to find me a tandem pilot. And so for me as an elite athlete, when those sorts of challenges happen, I always sit back and think to myself, you know, where is it that I want to go next? And at this point in my life, I still want to be an elite athlete. And so I made the decision to just try something new and to see how it would go. And, you know, that's a really hard process. It involves going back to that being a beginner to the basics of learning new things and new skills. But what I've realised over the past six years is that I've learnt far more about myself through going through those processes than I do standing on the top of the podium with a gold medal around my neck. And so for me it's really about discovering how good of an athlete that I can be. And in that process I just learn so much more about myself. So I think the older I've gotten as an athlete, the more intrinsically motivated I am to just see where I can take myself and perhaps less motivated by the external things that go on in sport.
Oh, it just that's the perfect note to end on. Thank you so much. We could talk forever. Obviously, you could talk for hours because we haven't even touched on all the other strings to your Bowers, you know, just the public speaker, just the advocate and just the ambassador for Vision Australia. So absolutely love to have you back on Talking Vision one of these days when you're wearing one of these many different hats. So you're always welcome back on the show. It's been an absolute pleasure to chat with you today.
Thank you and thanks for having me. Always great to chat to Vision Australia. They're a big part of my life so I'm very happy to be involved and I'm always happy for a chat.
I've been speaking today with Jess Gallagher, dual gold medallist in the para cycling program at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. I'm Sam Culley, and you're listening to Talking Vision on Vision Australia right here, associated stations of IPH and the Community Radio Network. If you're enjoying the show and you'd love to find out more like where to find local radio frequencies or a good spot to listen to past programs. You can find all this info and more on the Talking Vision web page. Just search talking vision and that should come up as the first option. You can also find the program on the podcast app of your choice or through the Vision Australia Library. And now his humble service with Alexandra from the Vision Australia Store in Bendigo.
So on the line we have Alexandra from the Bendigo store, which is quite a lot. Hello. Hi. Thank you for having me. Alex, it is a pleasure to have you. I hear it's busy down there and you know, you're helping lots and lots of people get get everything they need in the store. I wanted to chat a little bit about Father's Day coming up. We've got a wonderful dads that we need to think of. And I thought maybe the store might have some good products that might fit the bill. Yes, for sure. We've got some awesome products to celebrate our wonderful dads of all ages. I know my husband's gearing up for a great day. Just firstly, off the cuff, we've got a beautiful, accessible radio. Is 0162. This radio is designed for people with low vision and blindness. It's got tactile and colour contrast buttons and it's fully talking. So when you're tuning a station, it will tell you what station you're on. There's nothing worse than not knowing what radio station you've just tuned into. I know our Vision Australia Radio is 88.7 and you can also put your favourite channels in this radio. So up to five preset channels. Yeah. So that's a great, wonderful product that might be innate for a special dad. How much is that one retailing. We've got that one for $330. Some special dads would love that. And obviously, I think one of our best sellers is is on this list as well for two fathers. We've got the Explorer 12. Yes, the Explorer 12 is a new product for the division store and the Explore 12 is a 12 inch digital magnifier. And what we love about this product, it's it's simple design and it comes with a stand. So then we can do any writing task, such as filling out a form, too, doing the old crossword. You can put products underneath so you can look at labels in your pantry and obviously all the reading tasks. So you mail and recipe books and things like that. So it's been a really good seller. That's the Explore 12 with Stand. That's retailing here at the Vision Store for $2,325. And I think the Explore range, they come in smaller versions too. Is that right? Yeah. So that's a large digital magnifier in the range. And then we've got the eight inch, the Explore eight and also the little baby version of the Explore five, which is a five inch screen as well. Cool. And so they're a little bit cheaper because they are smaller. Yeah. And they also have a different purpose. So, you know, the Explore Five's a wonderful product for being out and about in the community from reading, you know, a price tag at the supermarket too. Looking at a cafe menu, The Explore, it's a great little device that can be put in a backpack or around the home. So every every little thing, you know, product serves a purpose. So it's just finding out what that need is. And let's, let's try and feature maybe a product that is sort of under the $100 range. What would you recommend for our dads? Yeah, for under $100, we've got a new range of low vision watches, so a large print watches. So if you need a nice, clear and large watch, we've got those new products here at the Vision Store. We've got them in a and a leather strap version to a silver or gold stretchy band to them. So they sound really nice. Yeah. Wonderful, wonderful. And even if, you know, it's a dad with young kids, maybe I quite like the talking's connect fall game that you guys have. I know that's somewhat of a new product. It's the talking Gillette single game set it's ace 8041 retailing for $65 so. Not only with, you know, a dad's with vision loss, but also dads with children who are visually impaired. And we've got some great products that dads can get along playing alongside their children with a few of our accessible games. My personal favorite as well is the Rubik's Cube. Can you believe a tribe? Try solving a Rubik's Cube just by touch. It's so hard, but amazing. It is. They are so hard. But yeah, pretty amazing having all that accessible and tactile input. The other thing I thought might be good to mention, if you do want to get something for Father's Day and you just worried a little bit about shipping and that kind of thing, I think we're we would recommend just popping into your local store, I think. How many stores do we have? About 27 or something like that? Yeah. Come. Come see us at your local store. It's two weeks out. Sometimes it's a hit and miss with Australia Post. So being on the safe side this Father's Day and come see us at your local Vision Australian store. That's right. You can find all the information that and all the products we featured in this little segment at Shop Dot Vision Australia dot org, that's shop dot Vision Australia dot org. And if you want to visit Alexandra herself in Bendigo, you can see her at 20 Bridge Street in Bendigo. Alexandra, you're a legend. Thank you so much. And I hope here you see a lot of fun families coming down to pick up something cool for the dads. Thank you so much. Thanks.
And now to finish up the show this week, there's a bit of news and information about the upcoming Blind Citizens Australia Conference Special Connect, which is taking place later in September. Basically I connect is fast approaching and they say can't wait to show what they have in store for you along with the topic based sessions. The conference will feature some very special musical performances as a little sneak peek. They're excited to announce that joining them to close the conference with a song is accomplished singer and performer Brendon Scott. They're also ready to announce the topic for their third session. Natural Disasters and Emergency Health Response. For this session, they're pleased to be bringing together a panel of experts to discuss the importance of emergency preparedness for people who are blind or have low vision, including tips for being prepared and how and when to access support. Register now to secure your spot for basic connect. Tickets are $30 per person and you can register online. Registrations will close on the 14th of September and Basic Connect Itself will take place over Zoom on Saturday, the 17th of September. In preparation for this busy, I are offering Zoom participant training to all BCA members. They will be exploring skills such as the muting function, raising hands and breakout rooms. You must be registered for busy AI connect to attend the training. They'll be running two of these one hour sessions and the first sessions on the 5th of September at 2 p.m. Australian Eastern Standard Time. And the second session takes place on the 7th of September at 7 p.m. Australian Eastern Standard Time. And if you're a choir, any further information assistance with registration or your financial situation is preventing you from attending Basic Connect. Please feel free to email BCA at events at BCA dot org dot EU. That's events at BCA dot org dot EU. Or you can call BCA on one 800 or 3366. Oh, that's one 800 over 336600. And that's all we have time for today. You've been listening to Talking Vision. Talking Vision. It's a production of Vision Australia right here. Thanks to all involved with putting the program together. And remember, we love your feedback and comments. You can contact us at Talking Vision at Vision Australia dot org. That's Talking Vision one world vision Australia dot org. But until next week it's Python.
You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us any time during business hours on one 300 847466. That's 13847466 or by visiting Vision Australia dot org. That's Mission Australia dot or.