Human Interest |
Further Personal Information |
Residence |
Dunedin, NZL |
Higher education |
Massage Therapy - Southern Institute of Technology: Invercargill, NZL |
Impairment Information |
Type of Impairment |
Cerebral Palsy |
Classification |
F34 |
Sport Specific Information |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
She took up athletics at age 14 at Verdon College in Invercargill, New Zealand. |
International Debut |
Year |
2006 |
Competing for |
New Zealand |
Tournament |
World Championships |
Location |
Assen, NED |
Further Personal Information |
Languages |
English |
General Interest |
Nicknames |
Jess, Tron (Facebook profile, 05 Jan 2021; Instagram profile, 14 Jan 2021) |
Further Personal Information |
Occupation |
Athlete, Clerk |
Impairment Information |
Origin of Impairment |
Congenital |
General Interest |
Memorable sporting achievement |
Winning silver in the women's F34 shot put at the 2015 World Championships in Doha, Qatar. (Athlete, 16 Jul 2017) |
Sport Specific Information |
Why this sport? |
"To prove that people with an impairment can do sport." |
General Interest |
Most influential person in career |
Coach Raylene Bates. (Athlete, 06 Nov 2019) |
Hero / Idol |
New Zealand shot putter Valerie Adams. (Athlete, 06 Nov 2019) |
Further Personal Information |
Family |
Husband Dale Gillan |
Other names |
Jessica Hamill |
General Interest |
Hobbies |
Shopping, socialising. (Athlete, 06 Nov 2019) |
Injuries |
In April 2018 she underwent surgery after sustaining a triple fracture of her left tibia and fibula bones. In September 2018 she broke her tibia bone around the metal that had been inserted into her leg following the initial injury and required another operation. She returned to training in March 2019. (Athlete, 06 Nov 2019)
In December 2015 she fractured a lumbar disc in her spine and was out of action until June 2016. (Athlete, 06 Nov 2019) |
Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs |
She has a coffee and relaxes before she competes. (Athlete, 06 Nov 2019) |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"It is what it is. Get on with it." (Athlete, 06 Nov 2019) |
Other information |
FURTHER EDUCATION She has a certification as a sports coach. (Athlete, 06 Nov 2019) |