Keegan has Scoliosis, and had to learn to walk again after spinal surgery. He says he’s been training 6 days a week for 2 years to get to the tournament, and that it felt amazing and unexplainable to finally be there. “I knew I was ready,” he said.

Based on his performance at the Championships, it’s hard to believe that Keegan was unable to walk just two years ago, and his determination and sportsmanship are incredibly inspirational. He swears by perseverance as a way to achieve your goals, and wears that attitude on his sleeve.

When asked what advice he would give to an athlete living with a disability who was just starting out, Keegan had this to say:

“Firstly, is to find your passion and to do something that you know you love, and secondly is to work hard. Make sure that you are working for yourself, and be fit and healthy, because that’s the most important thing for life. Also, to meet some people, get a social aspect out of it. Having friends and family like Para is just the best thing ever, because no what – no matter how hard life is – you can always go to them, because they automatically know what you’re on about because they’ve had similar situations. So, I’d say find something you’re passionate about and find people that you can talk to, because it’s the most important thing for mental health, but also for a fitness aspect too.”

We would like to congratulate Keegan on winning the first-place award for Most Improved! If you’re interested in learning more about Keegan’s story, check out his Video Diary here.