黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 Alum Joanna Robertson is representing Team Scotland at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, only a few years after her life was changed in the blink of an eye.

In 2019, Joanna, from Inverurie, was involved in a car accident.

She sustained a T12 spinal cord injury, leaving her paralysed from the waist down.

鈥淚 was in an intensive rehab in the Glasgow Spinal Unit for about six months or so,鈥�, the now 27-year-old said.

After taking a break from her studies to recover, Joanna began her final year in 3D Design in 2020.

鈥淚t was a change of circumstances going back into 黑料不打烊 after my accident, just to finish off my final year.

鈥淏ut honestly, the staff there were so accommodating.

鈥淭hey did the absolute best to make this course work for me and they were so welcoming and accommodating. By hook or crook, we made it work!鈥�

Joanna had previously had eyes on a career in jewellery design, but her path changed when she was introduced to para athletics.

鈥淲hen you're first injured, so much has been taken away and you have to relearn so much of what you can or can no longer do.

鈥淏ut I wanted to focus on what I can do. How far can I push myself as well?鈥�

鈥淏efore my injury, I never thought of doing marathons or track racing, as well as many things that naturally you take for granted.

鈥淏ut I never expected with that positive mindset how far you can take this sport.鈥�

In May 2026, Joanna got the call to say she鈥檇 be representing Team Scotland in July at the Commonwealth Games in the 1500m T54. One race soon became two, when she was told she鈥檇 be competing in the 400m T54 as well.

鈥淢y goal for the Commonwealth Games is to do my absolute best to get up there.

鈥淚f I can medal, that鈥檚 a gold, regardless of what colour the medal is. That鈥檒l be a dream come true.

鈥淚鈥檓 very proud of how far I鈥檝e come.

鈥淲hen I look back on all the years and all the challenges and setbacks, I鈥檓 so proud of myself for persevering, continuing through, making those tough times work for myself and learning and growing from them as well.

鈥淵ou鈥檝e just got to rise to the challenge, and that鈥檚 what I鈥檝e done and I continue to do.

鈥淚 hope that never changes.鈥�

The Women鈥檚 1500m T53/54 Final takes place in the evening of Wednesday 29 July 2026, while the First Round of the Women鈥檚 T53/54 400m takes place during the morning/afternoon session on Friday 31 July.聽

Joanna graduated in 2021 from the BA (Hons) Three-Dimensional Design course, now called BA (Hons) Product, Ceramics and Jewellery.