AJ Jennings explained

AJ Jennings
Headercolor:green
Textcolor:yellow
Full Name:Amanda Jane Jennings
Birth Date:7 October 1971
Sport:Paracanoe
Disability Class:KL3

Amanda Jane "AJ" Jennings (formerly Reynolds,[1] born 7 October 1971)[2] is an Australian paracanoeist and para archer. She won two gold medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships and a silver medal in the Women's 200m KL3 at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.[3] [4]

She has been selected to compete in archery at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.[5]

Personal

Jennings was born on 7 October 1971.[2] In April 2012, Jennings underwent elective surgery to amputate the lower part of her right leg.[6] For 20 years before the amputation, Jennings lived with depression, chronic pain and an addiction to prescriptive drugs following complications from a dislocated knee.[6] In reflecting to life after the amputation, Jennings commented: "Everybody's got the opportunity. You've just got to have the courage to take it."[6]

She is an Equine Sports Therapist. Jennings is married to Wayne and they have two children.[7]

Sporting career

Canoeing

Jennings is classified as KL3 paracanoeist. Reynolds paddling career started with the Murray Marathon[2] and participated in the 2013 Sale to Sea Disability Kayak Challenge.[8] In 2014, she won the K1 200 m, K1 500 m and 1000 m LTA events at the National and Oceania Championships. In her world championships debut, she won the bronze medal in the Women's K1 200 m LTA at the 2014 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Moscow, Russia. At the 2015 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Milan, Italy, she won the gold medal in the Women's K–1 200 m KL3.[9]

At the 2016 ICF Paracanoe World Championships, Duisburg, Germany, she won the silver medal in the Women's 200 m KL3.[10] A month prior to the championships, she underwent an appendix operation.[11] She won a silver medal in the 200m KL3 at the 2016 Rio Paralympics where paracanoe made it Paralympics debut.[4]

At the 2017 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Račice, Czech Republic, she won the gold medal in Women's KL2 200m.[12] After a year of battling injury, Reynolds at 2018 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Montemor-o-Velho, won the silver medal in the Women's KL3 200m.[13]

At the 2019 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Szeged, Hungary, she finished seventh in the Women's KL3 200m.[14]

At the 2020 Summer Paralympics, Jennings finished fifth in her Heat and eighth in the Women's KL3 semi-final and did not advance to the final.[15]

Jennings held an Victorian Institute of Sport scholarship holder and was originally coached by Steve Vegh and Mark Dougall.[2] In 2015, she moved to the Gold Coast, Queensland to work closer with National Para-canoe Head Coach Andrea King. She named her new sprint canoe "Douglas" or "Doug" after two people that have inspired her - boxer James 'buster' Douglas and pilot Douglas Bader.[16]

Archery

Jennings transitioned to archery after the 2020 Summer Paralympics as a result of two hip replacements.[17] She took up archery as part of her rehabilitation. She competes in recurve events. She member of Mount Petrie Bowman in Brisbane, Queensland.

Recognition

In 2015 and 2016, she was awarded the People's Choice Award at the Australian Canoeing Awards.[18] [19]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: AJ Jennings . live . 6 June 2021 . Paralympics Australia . https://web.archive.org/web/20210606020752/https://www.paralympic.org.au/athlete/aj-jennings/ . 6 June 2021.
  2. Web site: Amanda Reynolds . Australian Canoeing website . 23 August 2014.
  3. Web site: World Champions headline first Australian Paralympic Canoe Team . Australian Paralympic Committee News, 16 June 2016 . 16 June 2016.
  4. Web site: Amanda Reynolds . Rio Paralympics Official site . 16 September 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160922225036/https://www.rio2016.com/en/paralympics/athlete/amanda-reynolds . 22 September 2016.
  5. Web site: 2024-06-21 . Governor-General Hosts Paralympic Archery Team Announcement Paralympics Australia . 2024-06-24 . www.paralympic.org.au . en-AU.
  6. News: O'Sullivan . Karen . Vic amputee chases Paralympic dream . 23 August 2014 . 7News Melbourne . 13 May 2014.
  7. News: Bills . Rebecca . Amanda Reynolds has been selected for the Australian Paraylmpic Team . 23 August 2014 . Rangers Trader . 4 July 2014.
  8. News: Sale to Sea challenge conquered . 23 August 2014 . Gippsland Times . 18 March 2013.
  9. Web site: Reynolds wina Australia's first gold at World Championships . Australian Canoeing News, 21 August 2015 . 23 August 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150821062435/http://canoe.org.au/2015/08/21/reynolds-wins-australias-first-gold-at-world-championships/ . 21 August 2015 . dead . dmy-all.
  10. Web site: McGrath snaps Swoboda's Worlds winning streak . International Paralympic Committee website . 19 May 2016.
  11. Web site: Another Honour for Reynolds (AUS) . International Canoe Federation website . 19 May 2016.
  12. Web site: Golden day for Australia at Para-canoe World Championships . Australian Paralympic Committee News, 265 August 2017 . 2 September 2017.
  13. Web site: Silver Comeback For Amanda Reynolds . Paddle Australia website . 26 August 2018.
  14. Web site: Australia Finishes Success World Champs With More Tickets To Tokyo . 26 August 2019 . Paddle Australia website . 26 August 2019.
  15. Web site: 5 June 2021 . Australia Names Experienced Para-Canoe Squad For Tokyo . live . 6 June 2021 . Paralympics Australia . https://web.archive.org/web/20210605010240/https://www.paralympic.org.au/2021/06/australia-names-experienced-para-canoe-squad-for-tokyo/ . 5 June 2021.
  16. Web site: Reynolds inspired by war-time pilot in quest for Paralympic selection . Australian Paralympic Committee News, 11 February 2016 . 11 February 2016.
  17. Web site: AMANDA JANE JENNINGS . 2024-06-24 . Archery Australia . en-AU.
  18. Web site: 2015 Australian Canoeing Award Winners . Australian Canoeing website . 15 November 2015.
  19. Web site: 2016 Australian Canoeing Award Winners . Australian Canoeing website . 15 November 2016.